I originally made this recipe in 2014 and have since added new photos and success tips, and I’ve also made a few changes to the dressing so that it is more flavorful and yields more. These changes are reflected in the printable recipe below. What began a few years ago as a “throw a bunch of leftovers together with some cold pasta” dinner has become a summertime staple in my house. Pasta + chicken + veggies + bacon + cheese + easy. This chicken pasta salad is a winning combination for sure. And it all comes together with a tangy homemade dressing that’s nearly impossible to pass up. It’s the pasta salad for those of us who like a lot of STUFF in our salads. 😉
Here’s Why You’ll Love This Chicken Pasta Salad:
Endlessly customizable—add your favorite vegetables, try a different cheese, or make it vegetarian Creamy, tangy dressing made with low-fat buttermilk and Greek yogurt Convenient make-ahead recipe, just like my creamy strawberry feta pasta salad Makes a big batch, perfect to take to a BBQ or other gathering Delicious leftovers make for a quick and easy lunch or dinner
If it’s a vegetable and you have it on hand, you should throw it into this pasta salad. Like artichokes, olives, shredded carrots, diced cucumbers, chickpeas, you get the idea! With that in mind, here’s my starting lineup of ingredients: Another reader, Christi, commented: “This recipe has a wonderful combination of flavors and color! It tastes great and looks great on your plate. It’s a crowd pleaser! Thank you for sharing this one, Sally! ★★★★★“
Base Ingredients in Creamy Chicken Pasta Salad
Pasta: I like fusilloni or rotini best here because the corkscrew shape captures so much of the creamy dressing. Use any short pasta that’s easy to eat (let’s avoid fettuccini here!), and has lots of nooks and crannies to hold onto dressing. Chopped Cooked Chicken: This can be grilled, poached, rotisserie roasted—whatever you happen to have on hand. I prefer grilled or rotisserie. Cherry Tomatoes: You’ll love the little juicy pops of flavor these give the pasta salad. They’re one of the best parts of this kale pesto mozzarella pasta salad, too! Broccoli: Chop fresh broccoli florets into small pieces—no need to cook it. When I don’t have broccoli on hand, I usually sub in cucumbers. Cooked Corn: Sweet, crisp corn scraped off the cob is the tastiest in this pasta salad, but frozen and thawed or canned corn work too. Bell Pepper: Red, orange, yellow—take your pick from the pack of peppers. (Say that 5 times fast!) Feta Cheese: Salty, creamy feta cheese crumbles taste so good in this salad, but feel free to swap in a different cheese. Cooked Bacon: Crisp and crumbled bacon bits add incredible flavor to each and every bite.
While the pasta cooks, prep the other ingredients and make the salad dressing.
Buttermilk Herb Greek Yogurt Dressing
Now let’s talk about the dressing! Even though there’s already so much to love in this pasta salad, the dressing truly makes the whole dish come together. The base is low-fat/nonfat Greek yogurt and low-fat buttermilk. If you can’t find buttermilk, you can use whole milk and add an extra teaspoon of lemon juice, but you will lose some flavor and creaminess. Add a little mayonnaise, a drizzle of olive oil, some fresh herbs, a squeeze of lemon, a splash of vinegar, and a sprinkle of seasonings. It tastes tangy, creamy, and oh-so-much-better than store-bought dressing. It reminds me a little of the Greek yogurt sauce that pairs so well with these zucchini fritters. This recipe makes about 2 cups of dressing. It may seem like a lot, but the pasta soaks up a lot as it sits, and there are also so many add-ins—this recipe feeds a crowd! Place the warm pasta, chopped veggies, and chicken in a big bowl, and pour most of the dressing on top. Stir to combine and coat everything with dressing, then add the crumbled feta and bacon and stir again. That’s it! There’s more work in chopping all the vegetables than actually making this dish. You can enjoy it right away, but I like it best after it sits for a couple hours in the refrigerator. The flavors develop a little more, turning this into pasta perfection.
Success Tip: Save a Little Dressing for Serving
Save the last little bit (a few Tablespoons) of dressing to stir into the pasta salad right before serving, so it tastes extra creamy and flavorful. I’ve been making this recipe for years, and I just discovered this little trick. What a difference it makes! You see, as the pasta salad sits, it absorbs more and more of that delicious dressing and can begin to clump together. Give it a little refresher to loosen it up, and to add another dash of flavor.
Success Tip: Keep the Pasta Warm
Don’t let the cooked and drained pasta cool for too long. Warm pasta mixes easier, and helps the flavors in the dish pop. As a bonus, the warm pasta begins to soften the feta cheese, so the dish is even creamier. So good.
