Description

This Summery Chicken Pasta Salad is a light, refreshing dish packed with juicy rotisserie chicken, crisp vegetables, sweet corn, and a creamy lemon-herb dressing. Perfect for picnics, potlucks, or easy weeknight dinners.

Ingredients

Scale

⅔ cup olive oil
⅓ cup mayonnaise
⅓ cup fresh lemon juice
½ cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
1 Tbsp dried dill
2 tsp minced garlic
Salt and black pepper, to taste
2 ears fresh yellow corn (or frozen, thawed)
16 oz mini bow tie pasta
12 slices bacon, cooked and chopped
12 oz grape tomatoes, halved
8 oz sharp cheddar cheese, cubed
1½ cups English cucumber, chopped
1 cup green onions, chopped
3½ cups cooked shredded rotisserie chicken, chilled
¼ cup reserved pasta water (as needed)

Instructions

Whisk olive oil, mayonnaise, lemon juice, parsley, dill, garlic, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Refrigerate dressing.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add corn and boil 4 minutes. Remove corn and let cool.
Cook pasta in the same water until al dente. Reserve ½ cup pasta water, then drain pasta.
Spread pasta on a baking sheet and let cool for 10–20 minutes.
Cut corn kernels from the cob and prep remaining ingredients.
In a large bowl, combine pasta, corn, bacon, tomatoes, cheese, cucumber, green onions, and chicken.
Add dressing and ¼ cup pasta water. Toss well, adding more pasta water if needed.
Chill for 1–2 hours before serving for best flavor.

Notes

For best texture, allow pasta to cool completely before mixing. Adjust lemon juice and salt to taste. Greek yogurt may be substituted for mayonnaise for a lighter version.

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Category: Salad
Method: No-Bake
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1.5 cups
Calories: 520
Sugar: 6g
Sodium: 680mg
Fat: 28g
Saturated Fat: 7g
Unsaturated Fat: 19g
Trans Fat: 0g
Carbohydrates: 45g
Fiber: 4g
Protein: 28g
Cholesterol: 65mg

Keywords: summer pasta salad, chicken pasta salad, easy pasta salad, picnic salad