Just in time for the start of football season: The best tailgate recipe ever.

If you’re looking for a super quick and easy dish that you can literally throw together for cookouts, tailgates, and even a weekday dinner, you’ve come to the right place!

This Chicken, Bacon, Ranch Pasta Salad will be a crowd favorite for sure.

It takes about 10 minutes to put together and it’s only 4 ingredients.

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1 package of cheese stuffed tortellini (you can find it in the refrigerated section). Go for the family size (18-20oz)
  • 1 package fully cooked grilled chicken breast strips (16oz-22oz). These are in the refrigerated deli section
  • 1 package of bacon. You can cook it yourself or get the pre-cooked. (16 oz or about 18 slices)
  • Ranch dressing
  • (OPTIONAL) Broccoli florets
  • (OPTIONAL) Cherry tomatoes halved

DIRECTIONS:

  • Cook pasta according to package instructions
  • If you choose to cook the bacon yourself, cook it until it is crispy. If you choose pre-cooked bacon, microwave it according to the package instructions until it is crispy. Once cooked, chop/cut into 1/2 inch pieces
  • Chop/cut the grilled chicken strips into 1/4-1/2 inch pieces
  • Add the bacon, pasta, and chicken into a large mixing bowl. Add in the ranch dressing until all of the ingredients are wet. There’s no such thing as too much ranch dressing :)
  • Throw in the broccoli and tomatoes if you’re adding those for a little color!
  • Refrigerate until it’s time to serve so that you can serve it cold. ENJOY!