Balsamic Chicken Pasta Salad

Total Time Prep/Total Time: 25 min.
Yield 8 servings
Contest Winner
Test Kitchen Approved
Kiss bland pasta salad goodbye with this zippy, tangy and sweet balsamic chicken pasta salad. Each bite is crammed full of bacony, cheesy flavor, and the bow ties and chicken will fill you right up.

Ingredients

  • 3 cups uncooked bow tie pasta
  • 4 cups cubed cooked chicken breast
  • 2 cups chopped tomatoes
  • 1/2 cup chopped red onion
  • 4 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled
  • 1/4 cup crumbled Gorgonzola cheese
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 1/4 cup minced fresh basil
  • 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

  1. 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.
  2. 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.

Nutrition Facts

1-1/3 cup: 408 calories, 20g fat (5g saturated fat), 65mg cholesterol, 323mg sodium, 28g carbohydrate (7g sugars, 2g fiber), 28g protein.

I love all the colors and flavors of this quick and easy dish and serve it often in summer, to the delight of my guests! You can't beat the combination of Gorgonzola and bacon. Leftover grilled shrimp makes a tasty substitute for chicken. —Terry McCarty, Oro Grande, California
Recipe Creator

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