I kind of have an addiction to pasta salad (well any pasta really if we are being honest here) and this Balsamic Chicken Pasta Salad is one of the best ones I have ever made. I love balsamic vinegar and the combination of it with the bacon, chicken, tomatoes and onion was just amazing. It is really fresh and bright and felt lighter than a lot of other recipes I have tried in the past.
While this is really great for a summer barbecue side dish, I still really enjoy it in the winter as a meal served with a simple green salad. The chicken, bacon and veggies make it filling and satisfying.
I recommend making this the night before so that all the flavors can meld and come together. If you do this, I would wait until serving to mix in the gorgonzola and parmesan cheeses so that they don’t get soggy or mushy.
Balsamic Chicken Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 3 cups uncooked bowtie pasta
- 4 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
- 2 cups chopped tomatoes (I like grape tomatoes halved)
- 1/2 cup chopped red onion
- 4 strips bacon, cooked and crumbled
- 1/4 cup crumbled gorgonzola
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup minced fresh basil
- 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
- 2 Tbsp. brown sugar
- 1 tsp. minced garlic
- 1/4 tsp. kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp. black pepper
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and rinse in cold water; transfer to a large bowl. Add the chicken, tomatoes, onion, bacon and Gorgonzola cheese.
- In a small bowl, whisk the oil, basil, vinegar, brown sugar, garlic, salt and pepper. Drizzle over salad and toss to coat; sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.