Pesto Chicken, Corn, and Avocado Bacon Pasta Salad Recipe
Pesto chicken, corn, and avocado bacon pasta salad is a fresh and creamy dish packed with tender chicken, crispy bacon, sweet corn, and rich pesto dressing.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients
Scale
- 12 oz pasta (rotini or penne)
- 2 cups cooked chicken breast, diced
- 1 cup sweet corn
- 1 ripe avocado, cubed
- 6 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
- 1/2 cup basil pesto
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 cup parmesan cheese (optional)
Instructions
- Cook pasta in salted boiling water until al dente, then drain and rinse with cold water.
- Prepare chicken by cooking and cutting into bite-sized pieces.
- Cook bacon until crispy, then crumble.
- Prepare corn by cooking or draining if canned.
- In a bowl, mix pesto, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and pepper.
- In a large bowl, combine pasta, chicken, corn, and bacon.
- Add dressing and toss until evenly coated.
- Gently fold in avocado before serving.
- Chill for 30 minutes and serve.
Notes
- Add avocado last to prevent browning.
- Use fresh pesto for best flavor.
- Store in airtight container for up to 3 days.
- Add extra olive oil if salad dries out.
- Do not freeze this salad.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 450 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 35 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 25 g
- Cholesterol: 45 mg