Ingredients
2 cups cooked rotini or penne pasta
1 1/2 cups cooked BBQ chicken, shredded or diced
1/2 cup corn (fresh, canned, or thawed frozen)
1/2 cup black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
1/4 red onion, finely chopped
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese (optional)
1/3 cup ranch dressing
2 tbsp BBQ sauce (plus more to taste)
Salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
1. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and rinse under cold water.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together ranch dressing and BBQ sauce. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, combine cooked pasta, BBQ chicken, corn, black beans, bell pepper, onion, and cilantro.
4. Pour dressing over the salad and toss gently to combine.
5. Add shredded cheddar if using and toss again.
6. Taste and season with salt and pepper if needed.
7. Chill for at least 15–20 minutes or serve immediately.
Notes
Use grilled or rotisserie chicken tossed in your favorite BBQ sauce.
Swap ranch for Greek yogurt or avocado ranch for a lighter version.
Great make-ahead salad — refrigerates well up to 3 days.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Salad, Pasta, Main Dish
- Method: No-Cook / Mix
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 1/2 cups
- Calories: 460
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 560mg
- Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 40g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 28g
- Cholesterol: 60mg
Keywords: bbq chicken pasta salad, bbq pasta salad recipe, summer pasta salad, chicken pasta salad with ranch