BLT Chicken Pasta Salad (Printable)

Fresh pasta salad with bacon, chicken, tomatoes, and crisp lettuce in creamy mayo dressing.

# What You 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 - 1 ½ 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 tbsp plain Greek yogurt
09 - 1 tbsp lemon juice
10 - 1 tsp Dijon mustard
11 - ½ tsp garlic powder
12 - Salt and black pepper, to taste

# How-To Steps:

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

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The smoky bacon plays perfectly against cool crisp lettuce making each bite exciting
  • It comes together in under 40 minutes but tastes like you spent all day planning
  • The creamy Greek yogurt dressing keeps things light without sacrificing flavor
02 -
  • The lettuce will wilt if dressed too far ahead, add it right before serving for maximum crunch
  • Rinsing pasta with cold water stops cooking and removes starch so dressing actually sticks
  • This salad tastes better after sitting for 20 minutes but only add the lettuce at the end
03 -
  • Crisp your bacon in the oven at 400°F for 15 minutes for the most even cooking
  • Cut cherry tomatoes in half through the equator so they do not roll off your fork
  • Let the salad sit at room temperature for 10 minutes before serving if it has been refrigerated
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