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Barbecue chicken pasta salad in white bowl.
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Loaded Barbecue Chicken Pasta Salad

Barbecue Chicken Pasta Salad is loaded with tender chicken, al dente pasta, and crisp veggies like sweet corn, red onion, red bell pepper, and green onion all tossed together with a barbecue dressing. So good and so easy!
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
refrigerator time12 hours
Total Time12 hours 25 minutes
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Servings: 8
Author: James Delmage

Ingredients

For the brine

  • 3 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 2 tablespoons neutral oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon white pepper

Remaining ingredients

  • 1/2 pound rotini pasta or any short pasta you like
  • 1 1/4 pounds pulled rotisserie chicken
  • 1/2 cup diced red onion
  • 1 large red bell pepper finely diced
  • 1 cup corn kernels
  • 1/2 cup barbecue sauce storebought or homemade
  • 3/4 cup mayonnaise plus more to achieve a smooth consistency
  • 5 green onions sliced
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

For the brine

  • In a large bowl, whisk together all of the brine ingredients and set aside.

For the bbq chicken pasta salad

  • Bring a large pot of salted water to boil and cook pasta to al dente. Drain the pasta and run under cold water to cool it off and stop the cooking process.
  • Whisk the brine again then add the pasta, chicken, onion, bell pepper, and corn. Mix well to coat. At this time it is best to refrigerate overnight so that the flavors absorb.
  • The next day, add the bbq sauce, mayo, and green onon and mix well again. Add more mayo and/or barbecue sauce as required to get a creamy consistency. Taste test and season with salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy!

Notes

  • Servings.  Makes 8 moderate-sized servings as a side dish or about 4-6 for a full meal.
  • Brine. The key to getting great flavor is the brine.  If you can wait let the pasta sit in the brine overnight before mixing with bbq sauce and mayo. 
  • Extra BBQ sauce and mayo.  Feel free to mix in more barbecue sauce or mayo if needed.  Leftovers might need a bit more mayo.
  • Leftovers. Barbecue chicken pasta salad can be saved for up to 3 days and tastes even better after a few days.

Nutrition

Calories: 422kcal | Carbohydrates: 31.6g | Protein: 24.7g | Fat: 20.5g | Saturated Fat: 3.4g | Sodium: 542mg | Fiber: 1.3g | Sugar: 8.6g | Calcium: 15mg | Iron: 2mg

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