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Club Chicken Pasta Salad

Club chicken pasta salad with grilled chicken, crispy bacon, avocado, and tomatoes in a creamy club-style dressing over al dente penne or rotini. Chilled for 30 minutes so the flavors meld, then finished with fresh avocado for a crisp, sliceable bite.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Chilling 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 690
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Pasta salad base
  • 12 oz penne or rotini
  • 2 grilled chicken breast, sliced
  • 6 bacon, cooked and crumbled
  • 1 avocado, diced
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 0.5 cup Swiss cheese, shredded or cubed
  • 3 green onions, sliced
Club dressing
  • 0.5 cup mayonnaise
  • 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 0.5 tsp onion powder
  • 2 tbsp milk
  • 1 salt
  • 1 black pepper

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Cook and cool pasta
  1. Cook the penne or rotini to al dente in boiling water, then drain and rinse cold under running water to stop cooking. Spread the pasta out and cool until no longer steaming, about 10 minutes.
Make the club dressing
  1. Whisk mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, garlic powder, onion powder, and milk with salt and black pepper until smooth and thick. Let it sit for 2 minutes so the flavors meld.
Assemble the salad
  1. In a large bowl, combine the cooled pasta with sliced grilled chicken, crumbled bacon, cherry tomatoes, Swiss cheese, and green onions. Toss until the ingredients are evenly distributed.
Dress and chill
  1. Pour the club dressing over the pasta mixture and toss until everything is lightly coated. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to chill and deepen the flavor.
Finish and serve
  1. Gently fold in diced avocado just before serving so it stays bright and intact. Serve immediately after folding for the best texture.

Notes

Pro tip: Rinsing the pasta cold prevents it from turning gummy and helps it absorb the dressing evenly. Refrigerate covered for up to 3 days; add avocado right before serving if you can. Freezing isn’t recommended for this creamy salad. For a lighter option, use Greek yogurt in place of up to half the mayonnaise while keeping the rest for the classic creamy club texture.