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This Pesto Chicken, Corn, and Avocado Bacon Pasta Salad is the perfect quick fix salad. It’s almost no-cook and comes together in minutes. Grilled pesto chicken tossed together with a creamy, lemony parmesan dressing, fresh romaine lettuce, grilled corn, crispy bacon, and creamy avocado. This pasta is simple to toss together, super flavorful, filling, and pretty healthy too. Enjoy this for dinner and save the leftovers for lunch. Or serve this up at your next backyard dinner with friends.
I told you I was really going to lean into Memorial Day recipes this week and I wasn’t kidding! It might be dark and dreary here, but I’m not letting that stop me from sharing new summery recipes.
Like many of you, for me, Memorial Day marks the unofficial start to summer. It’s finally that time of year for low-key, lazy days, and backyard dinners with friends and family.
With last summer being so uneventful, I feel like everyone is on the same page this summer…live it up and really embrace backyard entertaining and picnics at the park. It’s exciting, right? I really missed summer entertaining and couldn’t be more excited to share some new recipes with you guys that are easy and delicious!
So with that, I’ll stop rambling and move on to this pasta!
The inspiration
Summertime as a kid meant simple dinners at our house. My dad would do a lot of grilled chicken and burgers, but his specialty, and my personal favorite, was his pasta salad.
He would do it up so simply with broccoli, peppers, basil, big chunks of cheddar cheese, lots of olive oil, and hot pasta. He’d toss everything together and the cheese would melt over the pasta. It was SO GOOD. I still, to this day use his trick of tossing hot pasta with cubes of cheddar. Hot pasta equals melty cheese, which equals extra delicious pasta. Trust me on this. I know this may not be the usual way to make a pasta salad, but it’s good!
I took Dad’s pesto grilled chicken and pasta salad and combined them together to make this delicious hybrid. It’s not a simple as my dad’s pasta, but both are equally delicious.
The details on this pesto chicken pasta
I like to start with the croutons. Every salad is made better with crunchy croutons, even a pasta salad. I love making mine with torn ciabatta or sourdough bread and flaky sea salt. They’re so easy to make, I simply crisp them up in the oven. If you can find the time, homemade vs store-bought breadcrumbs are definitely worth a little extra effort.
Now on to the chicken. I kept it easy, yet still flavorful, by simply tossing the chicken with basil pesto. Using pesto is my go-to way to add delicious flavor, yet still keep the recipe as easy as can be. And with all the fresh basil we’ve been currently growing, I’m loving making basil pesto.
I decided to throw the chicken on the grill. Grilled chicken adds that summer flare, and I love the flavor and char the chicken gets from the grill. That said, if you don’t love grilling, you can easily cook the chicken up in a skillet.
On to that creamy parmesan dressing…
This is truly one of my favorite dressings. It’s a combination of creamy tahini (sesame seed paste) or mayo. For this pasta, I used avocado oil mayo, but tahini is great too. Then I whisk in Dijon mustard and add a few dashes of Worcestershire sauce and plenty of lemon. The mayo or tahini adds creaminess, while the parmesan adds plenty of flavor. I even make this dressing right in the bottom of my salad bowl to save on dishes.
As soon as you drain the pasta, toss it with the dressing while the pasta is still steaming. Then toss in the croutons, lettuce, grilled corn, bacon, and avocado.
You can eat this warm or at room temperature, but me being the hot food lover that I am, I like this best while it’s still a little warm.
Also, though I do love this warm, the longer the pasta sits, the more flavor it develops, so this is also perfect for making ahead. My only recommendation is to wait to add the avocado so that it doesn’t get brown.
It’s as quick and easy as that. What I love most about this pasta recipe is that it really does use some of summer’s best ingredients. It might be early for corn, but we have three months ahead to make and enjoy this pasta!
Looking for other summer salad recipes? Here are a few ideas:
Corn, Tomato, and Avocado Pasta Salad
Pesto Chicken Caesar Salad with Tomatoes and Burrata
Honey Mustard Pretzel Chicken and Avocado Bacon Salad
Lastly, if you make this Pesto Chicken, Corn, and Avocado Bacon Pasta Salad, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Pesto Chicken, Corn, and Avocado Bacon Pasta Salad
Servings: 8
Calories Per Serving: 559 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken, cut into bite size chunks
- 1/2 cup, plus 2 tablespoons basil pesto, homemade or store-bought
- red pepper flakes, kosher salt, and black pepper
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
- juice of 1 lemon
- 1/4 cup tahini or avocado oil mayo
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1/3 cup grated parmesan
- 1 pound short cut pasta
- 1 cup cubed cheddar cheese (or parmesan)
- 2 cups croutons (see notes)
- 3 cups shredded romaine lettuce
- 4 ears grilled or steamed corn
- 6 slices cooked bacon, crumbled
- 1 avocado, diced
Instructions
- 1. In a bowl, combine the chicken, 1/2 cup pesto, red pepper flakes, and a large pinch of salt. Set your grill, grill pan, or skillet to medium-high heat. Grill the chicken until lightly charred and cooked through, turning halfway through cooking, about 10 to 12 minutes. 2. Meanwhile, make the dressing. In a large salad bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, tahini or mayo, dijon, Worcestershire, parmesan, and a pinch each of red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. 3. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Boil the pasta to al dente, according to package directions. Drain. Add the hot pasta, cheddar, and 2 tablespoons pesto and toss vigorously to combine. Add the chicken, croutons, lettuce, corn, and bacon, tossing to combine. 4. Top the pasta with avocado. Season with freshly cracked pepper and salt. Serve warm or cold.
Notes
Homemade Croutons: Preheat the oven to 425° F. Toss together 2 tablespoons olive oil, 2 cups cubed bread, and a pinch of salt. Bake for 10-12 minutes, until toasted.
This was amazing! We had leftover grilled chicken and corn on the cob from another day so I used those, added shredded mild white cheddar in place of cheddar cubes. Everyone loved it and it is so filling – We’re going to be fighting over the leftovers for lunch tomorrow!
Hey Amanda,
Thanks a bunch for giving this recipe a try, I am delighted that it was enjoyed! Have a wonderful week:) xTieghan
Delicious and not too difficult for someone like me who isn’t great at cooking. 2nd recipe I tried. I have followed you on Instagram for awhile and finally decided to give some of your recipes a try and so glad I did! My family loved it! Thank you.
Hey Marisa,
Thanks a bunch for giving this recipe a try, I am delighted that it was enjoyed! Have a wonderful week:) xTieghan
I see basil and butter lettuce in the photo? Am i wrong?
Hey Lisa,
Yes, I added extra basil for flavor and you can use any lettuce you want, romaine, butter lettuce, and spinach would all be great options. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Loved this but so much fat! I made without the cheddar cheese chunks or avocado or croutons; just added a touch more grated parmesan, and some mini pearl tomatoes for pop. It was delish! The pesto marinade made the chicken stick to the grill and come off the chicken. Next time will use non stick pan to get that crusty goodness to stay. Used arugula instead of romaine and liked the peppery contrast. Maybe some air fried zucchini “croutons” next time!
Hey Anne,
Happy Sunday!! Thanks a lot for giving this recipe a go, I am thrilled that it was enjoyed! xxTieghan
Best thing I’ve eaten in a while! Made this days ago and still thinking about it. I was unsure about the dressing when I tasted it on it’s own – however it comes together so nicely with the other ingredients. This is a keeper!
Hey Helen,
Thanks so much for giving this recipe a try, I am so glad it was enjoyed! Have a wonderful weekend:) xTieghan
I made this salad and it was delicious. I added snow peas and roasted zucchini (from the garden) and fresh tomatoes. Everyone loved the dressing too.
Hey Cheryl,
Happy Friday! Thanks a bunch for making this recipe, I am thrilled that it was enjoyed:) xTieghan
This was so delicious! A perfect summer night supper dish.
Everything she makes is magic and aka ways a winner with the family.
Hey Trudy,
Awesome! I am delighted that this recipe was enjoyed and truly appreciate you giving it a try! xTieghan
This was delicious! I tweaked it a little bit by adding grilled onions and extra spices. It was so good it didn’t need the croutons or avocado (and I love avocado).
Hey Callie,
Fantastic!! I am so glad this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a lot for making it! xTieghan
A big hit! Delicious! Will definitely be served again this summer.
Hey Gail,
Fantastic!! I am so glad this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a lot for making it! xTieghan
Can I sub another cheese for the cheddar?
Hey Beth,
Sure, you can use any cheese that you enjoy! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
This was delicious! I The whole family of 4 (2 high schoolers. We loved it warm, but still great cold the next day for lunch.
Hey Monique,
Happy Friday! I am so glad that you enjoyed this recipe, thanks so much for giving it a try! xxTieghan
This was a hit! Whole family enjoyed this one. Used Brioche to make my croutons and the little addition of sweetest was wonderful.
Hey Dominique,
Fantastic!! I am so glad this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a lot for making it! xTieghan
Absolutely delicious….. love all half baked harvest recipes…. my go to site
Thanks so much Penny! I am so glad you enjoyed the recipe! xTieghan
This was really good! It was a bit of work, but aren’t all salads? And at least this one was worth it, lol. I decided not to make croutons but made up for it with extra cheddar. It’s going to make a great, hearty lunch tomorrow for both of us too.
Hey Bethany,
Happy Wednesday! I am so glad you enjoyed this recipe, thanks for making it:) xTieghan
Really yummy! I left out the cheddar cheese and croutons for a slightly “lighter” option and it was still so good!
Hey Natalie,
Fantastic! Thanks a lot for making this recipe, I am so glad that it was enjoyed!! Have a great Tuesday. xxTieghan
I had a really easy time putting this together quickly! I just put the corn in an instant pot and baked the bacon in the oven while the chicken and pasta cooked. It was so super delicious! Next time I want to try it with grilled corn and fresh basil leaves added in. So yummy!
Hey Kate,
Awesome! So so glad to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks for making it! xxTieghan