BBQ Chicken Pasta Salad

Labor day is coming up. Though we are not going to be having big picnics we are still making salads and grilling out. It is part of our tradition over the weekend to find time to eat outside and enjoy the time together. This salad can be made a day ahead and refreshed for your picnic. We actually like the salad better the next day because the flavors have all blended together.

Verdict: Three of the four of us really liked this salad. My daughter has suddenly decided she no longer likes barbecue sauce. I use Sweet Baby Ray’s Honey Barbecue sauce but use your family favorite or homemade. Yum!

BBQ Chicken Pasta Salad

Servings: 6-8 large
Time: 60 minutes
Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients:

1 1/2 lbs. boneless/skinless chicken breasts
1 lb. uncooked pasta
1/4 cup medium red onion chopped (or to taste)
1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, grated
BBQ sauce for brushing on the chicken (start with 1/3 cup)

Marinade:

1/4 cup olive oil
Juice from 1/2 lemon
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
2 cloves garlic minced
Salt & pepper to taste

Dressing:

1/3 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon BBQ sauce (extra for drizzling over top)
1/2 tablespoon vinegar
1/2 tablespoon brown sugar
Pinch of garlic powder
Salt & pepper to taste

Directions:

Cut the chicken breast into thin strips. Place in large Ziploc bag with the marinade ingredients and let sit in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, make the dressing and set it aside until needed.
Cook pasta according to package directions.
Preheat your BBQ/grill to high heat. Reduce heat to medium-high and cook the chicken for about 3-5 minutes until it’s cooked through. Brush both sides of each piece of chicken with the BBQ sauce as needed.
When the pasta is cooked, drain it and rinse it with cool water. Make sure it’s drained thoroughly. Add it to a large bowl.
Add the onion, cheddar, and dressing to the pasta. Toss. Slice the chicken and gently mix the chicken. Taste and adjust the salad with extra salt & pepper or barbecue sauce if needed.

13 Comments Add yours

Gail’s Snapshotsincursive says:

August 31, 2020 at 11:59 am

I’ve been craving barbecue, lately. 🍁🍂🌾

LikeLiked by 2 people

koolaidmoms says:

August 31, 2020 at 9:09 pm

Yup, that fall food change over is coming!

LikeLiked by 1 person

Reply

syl65 says:

August 31, 2020 at 1:19 pm

This is a nice summer dish to serve. Thank you, Marci 😊

LikeLiked by 1 person

carlyjsite says:

August 31, 2020 at 2:35 pm

Reblogged this on Carly's Comments on Life and commented:
As Labor Day nears and summer sets, this looks like a fun recipe to try and you could easily turn it into a pasta bake for fall!

LikeLiked by 2 people