Creamy Chicken Bacon Pasta Salad
This is the ultimate make-ahead pasta salad! With tender chicken, crumbled bacon, juicy tomatoes, sweet corn, basil and an easy, creamy sauce, it’s the perfect warm weather meal or potluck side dish. The no-cook sauce comes together in minutes and can be made several days ahead. Feel free to swap out the boneless skinless chicken breasts for 2 ½ to 3 cups of leftover cooked chicken for an even quicker salad.
This is the ultimate make-ahead pasta salad! With tender chicken, crumbled bacon, juicy tomatoes, sweet corn, basil and an easy, creamy sauce, it’s the perfect warm weather meal or potluck side dish. The no-cook sauce comes together in minutes and can be made several days ahead. Feel free to swap out the boneless skinless chicken breasts for 2 ½ to 3 cups of leftover cooked chicken for an even quicker salad.
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Ingredients
½ cup mayonnaise
3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 garlic clove, grated
1 tablespoon honey
salt and freshly ground black pepper
5 slices bacon
1 pound chicken breasts
12 ounces shaped pasta, such as fusilli or rotini
1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
1 cup sweet corn (raw, cooked, or frozen and thawed)
4 scallions, thinly sliced
½ cup basil leaves, coarsely chopped
Directions
- In a small bowl, whisk together the sour cream, mayonnaise, vinegar, garlic and honey. Season with salt and pepper. Refrigerate the dressing until needed; you can make it up to 3 days in advance.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. In a large nonstick skillet, cook bacon over medium heat, flipping occasionally, until crispy, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate. Discard all but 1 tablespoon of fat in the skillet.
- Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Place the skillet back over medium heat and add the chicken in a single layer. Cook, flipping once or twice, until golden brown on both sides and cooked through, about 10 to 15 minutes depending on the thickness of the breasts (the internal temperature should read 165 F). Transfer to a cutting board and let cool.
- In the meantime, add the pasta to the boiling water and cook according to package directions. Drain the pasta and rinse in cold water. Transfer to a large bowl.
- Cut the chicken into half-inch cubes and coarsely crumble the bacon. To the bowl of cooled pasta, add the chicken, tomatoes, corn, scallions, half the bacon and half the cheese. Pour in the dressing and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper. At this point, the pasta salad can be covered and refrigerated for up to 6 hours.
- Before serving, fold in the basil, and garnish with the remaining bacon and mozzarella.
Directions
Prevent your screen from going dark as you follow along.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the sour cream, mayonnaise, vinegar, garlic and honey. Season with salt and pepper. Refrigerate the dressing until needed; you can make it up to 3 days in advance.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. In a large nonstick skillet, cook bacon over medium heat, flipping occasionally, until crispy, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate. Discard all but 1 tablespoon of fat in the skillet.
- Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Place the skillet back over medium heat and add the chicken in a single layer. Cook, flipping once or twice, until golden brown on both sides and cooked through, about 10 to 15 minutes depending on the thickness of the breasts (the internal temperature should read 165 F). Transfer to a cutting board and let cool.
- In the meantime, add the pasta to the boiling water and cook according to package directions. Drain the pasta and rinse in cold water. Transfer to a large bowl.
- Cut the chicken into half-inch cubes and coarsely crumble the bacon. To the bowl of cooled pasta, add the chicken, tomatoes, corn, scallions, half the bacon and half the cheese. Pour in the dressing and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper. At this point, the pasta salad can be covered and refrigerated for up to 6 hours.
- Before serving, fold in the basil, and garnish with the remaining bacon and mozzarella.
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