BLT Chicken Pasta Salad (Printable View)

A hearty salad featuring grilled chicken, crispy bacon, fresh lettuce, and tomatoes tossed with pasta in a creamy dressing.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta & Proteins

01 - 8 oz medium pasta shells
02 - 2 cups cooked grilled chicken breast, diced
03 - 6 slices bacon, cooked until crisp and crumbled

→ Vegetables

04 - 1½ cups romaine lettuce, chopped
05 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
06 - ½ cup red onion, finely diced

→ Dressing

07 - ⅓ cup light mayonnaise
08 - 2 tablespoons plain Greek yogurt
09 - 1 tablespoon lemon juice
10 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
11 - ½ teaspoon garlic powder
12 - Salt and black pepper to taste

# How To Make It:

01 - Cook pasta shells according to package directions. Drain thoroughly and rinse under cold running water until completely cooled.
02 - In a small bowl, whisk together light mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, garlic powder, salt, and pepper until smooth and well combined.
03 - In a large mixing bowl, combine cooled pasta, grilled chicken, crumbled bacon, lettuce, cherry tomatoes, and red onion.
04 - Pour dressing over salad mixture and gently toss until all ingredients are evenly coated with dressing.
05 - Serve immediately or refrigerate for 20 minutes to allow flavors to develop before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The creamy dressing coats every single shell and crevice without feeling heavy or overwhelming
  • You get that perfect BLT experience without the bread getting soggy or falling apart in your hands
  • It actually tastes better after sitting in the fridge making it ideal for lazy weekend meal prep
02 -
  • The lettuce will wilt if you dress this too far ahead so add it right before serving or pack it separately
  • I learned the hard way that warm pasta makes mayonnaise separate into this weird oily mess so let everything cool completely
  • The dressing thickens up in the refrigerator so you might need to stir in a tiny splash of water before serving leftovers
03 -
  • Crisp your bacon in the oven on a foil lined sheet pan for minimal cleanup and maximum crispiness
  • Cut your cherry tomatoes in half lengthwise so they do not roll around your bowl and escape every forkful
  • Reserve a handful of crumbled bacon to sprinkle on top right before serving for that restaurant quality presentation
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