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.

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

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.