Categorized:
- Appetizers & Salads
- Beef and Pork
- Pasta & Italian
- Poultry
Tagged:
- bacon
- chicken
- corn
- cucumbers
- dil
- garlic
- green onions
- lemons
- mayonnaise
- olive oil
- parsley
- pasta
- tomatoes
Summery Chicken Pasta Salad
Ingredients
Dressing
- 2/3 cup olive oil
- 1/3 cup mayonnaise
- 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
- 1 Tbsp dried dill
- 2 tsp minced garlic (2 cloves)
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
Pasta Salad
- 2 ears fresh yellow corn
- 16 oz mini bow tie pasta
- 12 slices (12 oz) bacon, cooked, drained and chopped*
- 12 oz. grape tomatoes, halved
- 8 oz. sharp cheddar cheese, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
- 1 1/2 cups chopped English cucumber (about 3/4 of one medium)
- 1 cup chopped green onions (about 5)
- 3 1/2 cups cooked shredded rotisserie chicken, chilled
- 1/4 cup pasta water, or more as needed
Instructions
Dressing
- In a small mixing bowl whisk together olive oil, mayonnaise, lemon juice, parsley, dill, garlic and season with salt and pepper to taste. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Pasta Salad
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil and season the water with salt (I use about 2 Tbsp).
- Add corn and boil (while turning as needed so all sides cook), 4 minutes. Remove corn and let cool while keeping water boiling.
- Add pasta to boiling water and cook to al dente according to times listed on pasta package. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water before draining pasta.
- Transfer drained pasta to a greased baking sheet and let cool 10 to 20 minutes.
- Cut corn kernels from corn cobs.
- In a extra large bowl add cooled pasta, corn, bacon, tomatoes, cheddar cheese, cucumber, green onions, and cooked chicken.
- Pour dressing over along with 1/4 cup pasta water then toss to evenly coat. Thin with more pasta water as needed (as it rests it will thicken) and season with more salt as needed.
- If time allows let flavors meld in fridge for 1 to 2 hours, otherwise it can be served right away.
Notes
- *To cook bacon I bake in a 400 degree oven on a rimmed 18 by 13-inch baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. It takes about 15 to 23 minutes depending on the thickness of the bacon. Using tongs transfer bacon to paper towels to drain.
- Optionally you can also add 1 diced avocado to salad or some cayenne pepper to taste for a kick of heat.
- Recipe makes about 18 cups.
- Recipe can be halved for a smaller group. If doing so just use these amounts: 1/3 cup olive oil, 2 1/2 Tbsp mayonnaise, 2 1/2 Tbsp lemon juice, 1/4 cup parsley, 1 1/2 tsp dried dill, 1 tsp garlic, salt and pepper to taste, 1 ear corn, 8 oz mini bow tie pasta, 6 slices cooked bacon, 1/2 cup green onions, 6 oz. grape tomatoes, 4 oz. sharp cheddar, 3/4 cup chopped english cucumber, 1 3/4 cup cooked chicken, 2 Tbsp pasta water.
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