Chicken and Corn Pasta Salad with Bacon

Chicken and Corn Pasta Salad with Bacon is super simple and takes only 30 minutes to make - a perfect choice for a weeknight dinner. This recipe combines chicken and fresh corn on the cob into a delicious main dish. Make this Summer pasta salad year-round for dinner or lunch. Or, share it with family and friends at Summer gatherings, potlucks, picnics, BBQs, and cook-outs.

Chicken and corn on the cob combined together as a main dish

If you're looking for main dish recipes that use corn kernels, chicken, and pasta in a flavorful combination, you've come to the right place! In this simple, 30-minute recipe, the pasta is mixed with freshly cooked corn (I used corn on the cob), bell peppers, and crispy bacon. The pasta salad is topped with sliced chicken (cooked with Italian seasoning, chili powder, salt, and pepper in olive oil). Everything is then smothered with creamy basil pesto dressing that you can easily make from scratch using store-bought pesto, or homemade pesto. For more chicken and corn kernels main dish inspiration, don't miss these recipes: Cilantro-Lime Chicken with Corn and Feta Cheese, quick and easy Garlic Butter Chicken with Zucchini and Corn, and very popular Mexican Street Corn Black Bean Chicken Bake.

Summer pasta salad

Chicken and Corn Pasta Salad with Bacon and Bell Peppers is delicious comfort food that comes together in just 30 minutes! Your family will love vibrant, healthy, and fresh ingredients tossed in a light homemade Basil Pesto Dressing. Bring this crowd-pleasing Summer pasta salad to BBQs, picnics, potlucks, barbecue parties, and other gatherings with friends and family. Simple enough to make on a busy weekday - fancy enough to serve company! Other Summer pasta salads I recommend are Peach Pasta Salad with Arugula and Tomatoes and reader-favorite Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad.

Why make it

• Use corn in a main dish. Looking for ways to use corn on the cob and chicken together in a main dish? This chicken and corn pasta salad certainly fits the bill!
• Quick and easy. Don't feel like spending too much time in the kitchen? My shortcuts for this pasta salad: use leftover cooked chicken, grilled chicken, or rotisserie chicken. Use bacon bits.
• Flexible recipe. This recipe is easily adjustable to what you have available. For best results, cook the corn on the stovetop (boil it) or grill it. Use canned corn if you're short on time. Add other veggies you like, such as broccoli, mushrooms, or tomatoes.
• Great for meal prep. This chicken and corn pasta salad keeps well refrigerated, so it's a perfect recipe to make ahead for lunch, dinner, and snacks.

Pasta salad ingredients

• Pasta. I used orecchiette pasta but you can use any kind of short pasta.  This includes small pasta shells, and fusilli (spiral pasta), bow-tie pasta (farfalle), penne, rigatoni, or rotini.
• Corn. I boiled 2 ears of corn (corn on the cob) in a pot of boiling water for about 5 or 10 minutes. Then, when the corn was cooled, I sliced the corn kernels off the cob with a knife. You can also grill your corn or use canned corn.
• Red bell pepper adds color and texture to this Summer pasta salad. You can also use green or orange bell peppers.
• Chicken. I used skinless boneless chicken thighs that I seared on the stovetop. Feel free to use skinless boneless chicken breasts or tenderloins. Leftover cooked or grilled chicken works, too.
• Bacon. I cooked bacon in the oven and used about 6 strips.

Salad dressing ingredients

• Basil pesto. Make it from scratch or use a store-bought kind (the refrigerated kind).
• Greek yogurt adds creaminess and tangy flavor to the dressing.
• Mayonnaise add creaminess.
• Lime juice. I always recommend freshly squeezed. You can also use lemon juice if you don't have limes.

How to make creamy pesto salad dressing

• In a mason jar, whisk together basil pesto with Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, and freshly squeezed lime juice.
• Tip: If your dressing is too thick, you can thin it out by adding more Greek yogurt, small amounts of water, or extra lime juice (or lemon juice). Or, the combination of what I just listed.

How to make chicken and corn pasta salad

1. First, you will cook the pasta in boiling water according to the package instructions.
2. While the pasta is cooking, proceed with preparing the rest of the ingredients.
3. Cook skinless boneless chicken thighs (seasoned with Italian seasoning, chili powder, salt, and pepper) with olive oil in a large skillet on the stovetop.
4. In a large bowl, combine cooked corn kernels, diced bell pepper, and chopped cooked bacon.
5. Then, add cooked and drained pasta. Mix to combine.
6. Next, you will distribute the salad into individual salad bowls.
7. Top with sliced cooked chicken.
8. Finally, top individual servings with the creamy pesto dressing and sprinkle the chopped fresh basil on top.

Recipe tips and recommendations

• Serve it warm or at room temperature. Serve chicken and corn pasta salad warm, reheated lightly in a microwave oven, or at room temperature.
• Take advantage of Summer's produce and use fresh corn on the cob when in season. During other times of the year, you can use canned corn or frozen corn. Chicken and corn kernels in this pasta salad make a delicious main dish combination.
• Use leftover chicken. This is a great recipe to use the leftover cooked chicken breast, grilled chicken, or rotisserie chicken.
• Bacon or prosciutto - you can use either.
• Make it gluten-free by using brown rice pasta, lentil pasta, chickpea pasta, or any other gluten-free choices.
• Add nuts for crunch and texture. Toasted pine nuts, pecans, almonds, and walnuts will work well.
• Add cheese if you like, such as Feta cheese or small Mozzarella balls (pearls).

How to make it ahead

• Make ahead the salad dressing. Keep it in a clean glass jar (such as a mason jar) with a lid. Refrigerate for up to 4 days.
• To make the salad ahead, combine cooked corn kernels, chopped bell peppers, cooked pasta, sliced cooked chicken, chopped cooked bacon, and salad dressing and mix well. Even if you keep the salad refrigerated for a day or two, the salad dressing will absorb into the pasta and it will taste even better the next day!
• Alternatively, add the salad dressing last minute, right before serving, if you like.

What kind of corn to use?

• Fresh corn is the best option, of course. The fastest way to cook fresh corn is to boil it. I also love to boil corn because boiling it in water keeps it moist. It's super easy and fast - perfect for main dish corn recipes!
• Frozen corn is a solution for when fresh corn is out of season or when you can't find fresh corn.
• Canned corn is also an option, however, freshly cooked corn tastes the best!

How to boil corn on the cob

For the purposes of this recipe, the easiest way to cook corn is to simply boil it in water.

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
• Add the corn ears and boil for about 5 minutes.
• Drain and let the corn cool.
• Once the corn is cooled, cut the corn kernels off the cob using a knife.

Storage Tips

• Store leftover chicken and corn pasta salad in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
• If you plan on refrigerating the salad, you can combine all the salad ingredients, except the salad dressing.  Add creamy pesto salad dressing last minute before serving.
• You can easily make this salad ahead by combining all salad ingredients together except the salad dressing.  Add it immediately before serving.

Other chicken and corn-on-the-cob recipes

The below recipes combine chicken and corn kernels together into quick, easy, and delicious main dishes:

• Cilantro-Lime Chicken with Corn and Feta Cheese
• Garlic Butter Chicken with Zucchini and Corn
• Mexican Street Corn Black Bean Chicken Bake

4.74 from 52 votes

Chicken and Corn Pasta Salad with Bacon

Chicken and Corn Pasta Salad with Bacon is super simple and takes only 30 minutes to make - a perfect choice for a weeknight dinner. This recipe combines chicken and fresh corn on the cob into a delicious main dish. Make this Summer pasta salad year-round for dinner or lunch. Or, share it with family and friends at Summer gatherings, potlucks, picnics, BBQs, and cook-outs.

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Course Main Course, Salad

Cuisine American

Servings 4 people

Calories per serving 639 kcal

Author: Julia

Ingredients

Pasta

• 8 oz orecchiette pasta or other short pasta

Chicken

• 1 lb skinless boneless chicken thighs
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• ½ teaspoon chili powder
• salt and black pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoons olive oil

Salad dressing

• ⅓ cup basil pesto store-bought or homemade
• 3 tablespoons Greek yogurt
• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice

Salad ingredients

• 1 cup corn kernels cooked
• 1 red bell pepper diced
• 6 strips bacon cooked and sliced
• fresh basil chopped
• salt and pepper to taste

US Customary - Metric

Instructions 

Cook pasta

• Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add pasta and cook according to package instructions. Drain. While the pasta is cooking, proceed with the rest of the recipe.

Cook chicken

• Generously season the chicken thighs with Italian seasoning, chili powder, salt, and freshly ground black pepper.
• Heat an empty cast-iron skillet over medium heat for 2 minutes. This allows the cast-iron skillet to heat through.
• Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add chicken thighs. Cook the chicken on medium heat for 5 minutes on one side, without moving it.
• Flip the chicken thighs over, reduce heat to low-medium, and cook for about 5 more minutes or longer on the other side, undisturbed, until it's cooked through. The meat thermometer should register 165°F (74°C) in the thickest part of the chicken. Remove from heat.
• Slice the chicken thinly.

Make salad dressing

• In a mason jar, whisk together basil pesto with Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, and freshly squeezed lime juice.
• If your dressing is too thick, you can thin it out by adding more Greek yogurt, small amounts of water, or extra lime juice (or lemon juice). Or, the combination of what I just listed.

Assembly

• In a large bowl, combine cooked and drained pasta, cooked corn kernels, diced bell pepper, and chopped cooked bacon. Mix to combine.
• Distribute into individual salad bowls. Top with sliced cooked chicken. Top with the salad dressing. Sprinkle the chopped fresh basil on top.

Notes

• Corn. I used 1 cup of cooked corn kernels. That equals to 2 ears of corn (corn on the cob).
• Basil pesto. Use store-bought or homemade basil pesto.
• Pasta. I used orecchiette pasta in this recipe. The next best choice would be fusilli (spiral pasta) or farfalle (bow-tie pasta).

Nutrition

Nutrition Information

Chicken and Corn Pasta Salad with Bacon

Amount per Serving

Calories

639

% Daily Value*

Fat

 

30

g

46

%

Saturated Fat

 

6

g

38

%

Trans Fat

 

0.1

g

Polyunsaturated Fat

 

6

g

Monounsaturated Fat

 

10

g

Cholesterol

 

125

mg

42

%

Sodium

 

638

mg

28

%

Potassium

 

602

mg

17

%

Carbohydrates

 

53

g

18

%

Fiber

 

4

g

17

%

Sugar

 

6

g

7

%

Protein

 

37

g

74

%

Vitamin A

 

1496

IU

30

%

Vitamin C

 

41

mg

50

%

Calcium

 

84

mg

8

%

Iron

 

2

mg

11

%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Nutrition Disclaimer:

The nutritional information on this website is only an estimate and is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed. It should not be used as a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

Keyword chicken and corn, chicken and corn on the cob, chicken corn pasta salad

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