This post is sponsored by The Little Potato Company. As always, all opinions are my own.
Twist on a favorite
One of my favorite recipes to take to families after a birth or when recovering from a stay in the hospital is ranch pasta salad. I make my favorite Homemade Ranch Dressing and toss it with cooked pasta, cucumber and tomato. That’s it! It’s so good and everyone loves it and always ask for the recipe. It’s really the homemade dressing that makes it taste so good. 
A side of goodness
I decided I wanted a more filling version of that same pasta salad. So I added chicken, bacon, cheese and my favorite Little Potatoes. It really is an entire meal in one! I bought the microwave ready creamer potatoes for this recipe because they cook up in only 5 minutes in the microwave! Little Potatoes are nutritious and offer up a side of potassium, iron and fiber and are gluten free too! Nutritious and yummy? How can I say no to that? 🙂 
Ingredients:
1 (1 lb.) box rotini pasta
1 lb. Microwave Ready Garlic Parsley Little Potatoes
2 cups cooked and diced chicken breasts
1/2 lb. bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 1/4 cup prepared ranch dressing
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup crispy fried onions
Cook’s Notes: I am using my Homemade Ranch Dressing in this recipe.
Directions:
Boil water in a large pot and cook the pasta until al dente. Once pasta is cooked, drain and rinse with cold water until pasta is no longer warm. 
Microwave Little Potatoes according to package directions. Set aside the seasoning packet.
Allow potatoes to cool. Then slice them in half and season with half the garlic parsley seasoning.
Dice chicken and bacon.
In a large bowl, add cooked pasta, seasoned potatoes, chicken, bacon and cheese.
Pour ranch dressing over pasta mixture and stir to combine.
Finally, gently stir in crispy fried onions.
Cover and place bowl into the refrigerator until ready to serve.
Such great flavor!
Enjoy!
- 1 lb box rotini pasta
- 1 lb Microwave Ready Garlic Parsley Little Potatoes
- 2 cups cooked and diced chicken breasts
- 1/2 lb bacon cooked and crumbled
- 1 1/4 cup prepared ranch dressing
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 cup crispy fried onions
- Boil water in a large pot and cook the pasta until al dente. Once pasta is cooked, drain and rinse with cold water until pasta is no longer warm.
- Microwave Little Potatoes according to package directions. Set aside the seasoning packet.
- Allow potatoes to cool. Then slice them in half and season with half the garlic parsley seasoning.
- Dice chicken and bacon.
- In a large bowl, add cooked pasta, seasoned potatoes, chicken, bacon and cheese.
- Pour ranch dressing over pasta mixture and stir to combine.
- Finally, gently stir in crispy fried onions.
- Cover and place bowl into the refrigerator until ready to serve.
This looks absolutely yummy! My favorite ingredients in a main meal type salad. I’m going to make this for a garden party my
painting club will be having in June. I may even add a few broccoli florets and chickpeas to it. Thanks Brandie for delicious, do-able recipes.
I’m digging pasta salad these days. Yours looks so delicious and fun with the rotini spirals! Haven’t tried out the ready-in-minutes potatoes, so thanks for the heads up on that!
Where do you find the microwave garlic potatoes?
Hi Judy – you can find them near the other potatoes in the bins in the produce section at Walmart. Hope that helps!