This flavor-packed BLT Chicken Pasta Salad is a balanced meal, ready in 20 minutes! Loaded with veggies, chicken, crispy bacon bits, and a simple Greek yogurt ranch dressing (store-bought ranch seasoning blend saves you even more time!), this protein and fiber-packed meal will leave you full, satisfied and nourished! 

A plate of pasta salad with rotini, diced tomatoes, avocado, spinach, and a creamy dressing. A fork rests on the side of the plate. Additional spinach leaves and chopped green onions are in small bowls nearby on a pink surface.

This Chicken BLT Pasta Salad is next level! Not only is the flavour our of this world, unlike many traditional pasta salads that can lack balance, this one has my signature dietitian PFF combo (protein, fiber, nourishing fats) making it perfect for meal prep lunches or a quick weeknight meals that will actually keep you full and satisfied.

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I’ve kind of made it my mission to create balanced and satisfying pasta salads lately cause they are just such an easy meal to prep and have on hand for the week, or whip together for a last minute picnic side (this quick chickpea feta pasta salad is a great vegetarian option and this protein-packed chicken Caesar pasta salad is another go-to around here).

One thing about me, I will always opt for the homemade dressing. And this 3-minute Greek yogurt ranch will show you it doesn’t have to be complicated!

Ingredients arranged in a circle on a pink surface: spinach, avocado halves, sliced carrots, corn, shredded chicken, bacon bits, rotini pasta, diced tomatoes, green onions, and two small bowls of creamy dressing.

Ingredient Hacks To Make This Salad Quickly

Cheater Ranch Dressing: While I have this homemade Greek yogurt ranch dressing made from scratch I wanted an extra quick version for this salad. Packaged ranch seasoning works perfectly for a shortcut! Just mix with Greek yogurt and mayo and you’re set!

Rotisserie Chicken For the Weekday Win: I love using rotisserie chicken to save time. I just remove the skin, and while this recipe calls for chicken breast, you can really use any combo of the white and dark meat!

Pre-Shredded Cheese: We always keep a bag of shredded cheese on hand to save time and mess (I think shredding cheese is one of my least favorite kitchen tasks) I prefer cheddar for it’s sharp, bold flavor, but Tex-Mex, cheese blends, or even feta work well in this salad!

Let’s Whip This Loaded Pasta Salad Up Together!

Chopped bacon pieces sizzling in a stainless steel frying pan, with visible grease bubbles on the surface.
Crisp up that bacon.  
A glass bowl filled with a salad made of diced tomatoes, shredded cheddar cheese, chopped bacon, and sliced green onions on a bed of leafy greens.
Mix your dressing in the bottom of the bowl, then add everything right in there!
A plate of pasta salad featuring fusilli, diced avocado, spinach, tomato, shredded chicken, and sliced green onions. The dish is dressed lightly and served with a fork on a pink surface.

My Test Kitchen Success Tips

Mayo & Greek Yogurt: I first tested this recipe with just Greek yogurt as the base for the dressing. While this will work, I found it a bit too tangy. The addition of just a couple of tablespoons of Mayo smooths out the dressing for balanced flavor and the perfect creamy texture.

Red vs. Green onion: While I do love the flavor of red onion, knowing this will likely be a recipe you’ll bring to work, I figured you might not want the onion breath it left. Haha The addition of green onion was the perfect addition to get that added aromatic flavor, without the harsh after effects. Haha 

Eating it warm: While pasta salad is traditionally eaten cold, my family discovered that this one is actually very delicious eaten warm. After one of my rounds of testing this recipe, my husband took the leftovers and tossed them in a pan, not realizing it was a pasta salad. The result was pure deliociousness! My only tip here is to add the avocado after heating if eating it this way. 

Spinach instead of Lettuce: I originally tested this recipe with romaine in an effort to stick to traditional BLT ingredients (typically made with leaf lettuce) but I found that it got too soggy when stored as leftovers. Spinach was the perfect solution as it’s delicious when fresh or wilted and still tasted great even on day 5!

Watch How to Make It Here!

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A plate of pasta salad with rotini, diced tomatoes, avocado, chicken pieces, and chopped green onions, garnished with fresh greens. A fork rests beside the plate on a cloth, with another plate and a bowl of greens in the background.

Veggie Loaded BLT Pasta Salad with Chicken

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 1 review
  • Author: Lindsay Pleskot, RD
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Total Time: 20 minutes
  • Yield: 4–6 servings 1x
  • Category: Main Dishes
  • Method: No Bake
  • Cuisine: American
  • Diet: Diabetic
Print Recipe

Description

This flavor-packed BLT Chicken Pasta Salad is a balanced meal, ready in 20 minutes! Loaded with veggies, chicken, crispy bacon bits, and a simple Greek yogurt ranch dressing (store-bought ranch seasoning blend saves you even more time!), this protein and fiber-packed meal will leave you full, satisfied and nourished! 

Ingredients

Scale
  • ½ cup plain Greek yogurt
  • 2 Tbsp Ranch Seasoning
  • 2 Tbsp mayo
  • 2 cups cooked chicken breasts (about 2 small breasts), shredded (I also like rotisserie chicken for a quick option!)
  • 7 slices of raw bacon, roughly chopped
  • 190 grams rotini or penne noodles (I used Catelli Smart noodles for extra fiber!)
  • 1 ½ cups diced fresh tomatoes (I like Roma or cherry tomatoes)
  • 1 cup corn kernels
  • 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
  • 3 cups spinach, roughly chopped
  • 1 green onion, thinly sliced into rounds
  • Optional: 1 avocado, diced

Instructions

  1. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside (I enjoy this pasta salad both warm or cold, but if you prefer it cold, allow noodles to cool completely before adding the other ingredients).
  2. Place chopped bacon in a cold medium saucepan, then cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until crispy and golden brown (about 6-8 minutes). Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.
  3. Add the yogurt, ranch seasoning and mayo to a large bowl and whisk until well combined.
  4. To the same bowl, add the chicken, bacon, pasta, tomatoes, corn, cheese, and spinach. Toss to coat everything evenly.
  5. Top with avocado and green onion and serve right away or store in the fridge up to 5 days.

Notes

Dressing: If you like a saucier pasta salad, feel free to double up the dressing, or add more mayo or yogurt, 1 tablespoon at a time until desired consistency is reached (for every extra tbsp of yogurt/mayo, added, add another 1/2 tsp Ranch seasoning). This can be added right to the bowl after everything is mixed, just continue mixing until well combined. 

Cooking bacon in a cold pan: This helps the fat render slowly making for crispier bacon! 

If using rotisserie chicken: Feel free to use both the white and dark meat, with skin removed. 

Storage: Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Reheating: To enjoy this pasta salad warm, heat in a frying pan, adding the avocado and green onion after heating.

Swaps & Tips: Swap the spinach for kale or the chicken for turkey breast or hard boiled eggs