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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.
Watch the How-To Reel
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 post was originally published on May 24, 2021
I never have liked a cold pasta salad. To me, if I’m going to indulge in pasta I want it hot and the real deal. This is the perfect solution. The sauce tastes like pasta sauce instead of the traditional mayo found on cold past salad dishes. Each ingredient is so flavorful on its own that when you bring the pesto chicken, sweet corn, salty bacon, and fresh lettuce and avocado together it truly is something special. Thanks for creating the first pasta salad I’ve ever loved!
Hey Caroline,
Wonderful!! Thanks a bunch for making this recipe, I am so glad that it was enjoyed! ☀️xTieghan
This was a big hit in my house. Even the one year old gobbled it up. It just tasted like summer
Hey Karla,
Wonderful!! Thanks a bunch for making this recipe, I am so glad that it was enjoyed! ☀️xTieghan
This was a delicious salad! Followed the recipe exactly and used light mayo in the dressing. I wish I would’ve made double the dressing because it was so tasty. I agree with others that it definitely took longer than 3o minutes to prepare. But it was worth it!
Hey Katie,
Fantastic! I am thrilled you enjoyed this recipe, thanks so much for giving it a try! Sorry this took you longer than expected. Have a great week:) xTieghan
Hi! Based on the pictures, I’m guessing the chicken is grilled before it is cut into pieces, unlike the recipes says. Correct? Also, how long would you grill the corn? Thanks!
Hey Carryn,
I’m sorry if you missed this in the instructions, but you are going to grill the chicken in step 1. If you want to grill the corn, you can do that for 10-15 minutes or until the corn is tender. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
I love all your foods:)
You might recommend when cooking with zucchini , that you let it dry before you cook it.
Everything else you cook is wonderful ??
Hey Amy,
Thanks so much! Sorry I am not sure what you are referring to as there is no zucchini in this recipe. Please let me know if I can help in anyway! xTieghan
I made the pesto chicken corn avacado bacon pasta salad and it was AMAZING! This is my go to for many many recipes! I love HBH. I was skeptical about the warm pasta with the romaine & cheese but went for it anyway. Making it as you directed and it did not disappoint- SOooo Good!?
Hey Jamie,
Awesome! I am so glad you enjoyed this recipe, thanks so much for making it! Have a great weekend:) xTieghan
Made the pasta salad without the chicken for a side dish. Huge hit! The corn puts it over the top!
Hey Christine,
Wonderful!! Thanks a bunch for making this recipe, I am so glad that it was enjoyed! ☀️xTieghan
Hi,
Could you use breaded/baked cauliflower in substitute for chicken? Trying to find a vegetarian alternative, any recommendations?
Also, I love all of your recipes! We recently got chickens and my kids named one Teighan because we are constantly using all half baked harvest recipes.
Hey Erica,
Sure, I think roasted cauliflower would be fantastic here! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
Just made this salad tonight. It was incredible! I was curious how the cheddar would taste with the pesto and it didn’t disappoint. I am super excited for leftovers! We had it warm tonight but tomorrow we’ll have it cold. Fantastic summer dish. You knocked another one out of the park!
Hey Jen,
Awesome! I am so glad you enjoyed this recipe, thanks so much for making it! Have a great weekend:) xTieghan
Just tried it with the roasted cauliflower and it is delicious!! Thanks so much!
I made this for dinner tonight. It was really good. It is very hearty. I am looking forward to the leftovers tomorrow for lunch. I can’t wait to try this loaded with summer veggies as a side dish. This is a great meal to make on Sunday and take for lunch at work the following week. Keep the picnic food coming.
Hey there,
Awesome! I am so glad you enjoyed this recipe, thanks so much for making it! Have a great weekend:) xTieghan
I have already made this recipe TWICE this week!! Once for dinner and once for breakfast haha. Love it. Keep these pasta salads coming!!
Hey Destinie,
Awesome! I am so glad you enjoyed this recipe, thanks so much for making it! Have a great weekend:) xTieghan
Would Kale be too strong a flavor for this instead of romaine?
Hey Jenny,
I think kale would be totally fine to use! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
I made this salad this week and it was FABULOUS!!!!
At the end I stirred in extra pesto along with a dash of champagne vinaigrette.
In season cherry tomatoes would be a nice and colorful addition.
LOVED IT!
Hey Denise,
Awesome! I am so glad you enjoyed this recipe, thanks so much for making it! Have a great weekend:) xTieghan
I changed it up a bit to make with what I had at home. I substituted the chicken for shrimp and then I didn’t have pasta so I just made it with Brussels sprouts and the corn and shrimp and then tossed that while warm in the dressing. The dressing recipe is so good. Next time I make it, I will make it with the pasta. Thank you for always having amazing recipes.
Hey Natalie,
Awesome! I am so glad you enjoyed this recipe, thanks so much for making it! Have a great weekend:) xTieghan
So tasty and easy to adapt to my dinner disaster of chicken that had gone rancid. I baked salmon with lemon and pesto because I had previously thawed for the next days’ dinner. It was unusual, but everybody loved it! Also, I removed the avocado because I’m allergic.
Hey Keri,
Fantastic! I am so glad you enjoyed this recipe, thanks so much for making it! Happy Friday:) xTieghan
I’m so excited to make this for my family get together over Memorial Day weekend. I would like to prep certain things in a advance, like the dressing and cooking the corn and chicken. Do you think the dressing can be made a day before tossing? And will it still serve warm when mixing with hot pasta, or do you recommend waiting to cook the chicken and corn until right before tossing? Thanks!
Hey Jessica,
Making the dressing ahead of time is totally fine! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan