Go Back

Club Chicken Pasta Salad

Club sandwich salad made with chicken pasta, crumbled bacon, cherry tomatoes, and cheddar tossed in a Dijon- lemon dressing. Chilled for at least 1 hour so the flavors meld while the pasta stays tender and the add-on romaine stays crisp.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Chilling 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 35 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Penne pasta
  • 1 lb penne pasta
Chicken
  • 2 cup cooked chicken breast, diced
Bacon
  • 8 bacon slices, cooked and crumbled
Romaine lettuce
  • 2 cup romaine lettuce, chopped
Cherry tomatoes
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
Cheddar cheese
  • 1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
Creamy dressing base
  • 1 /2 mayonnaise
  • 1 /4 sour cream
  • 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • salt and pepper to taste

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Cook and cool the pasta
  1. Cook penne pasta according to package directions, then drain and rinse with cold water to stop cooking and cool it quickly.
Make the Dijon dressing
  1. Whisk mayonnaise, sour cream, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, salt, and pepper until smooth and evenly combined.
Build the pasta salad (before chilling)
  1. Combine pasta, diced chicken breast, crumbled bacon, cherry tomatoes, and shredded cheddar in a large bowl.
Coat and chill
  1. Pour dressing over the salad and toss to coat so every piece is lightly covered.
Chill
  1. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour to let flavors meld.
Finish with lettuce
  1. Just before serving, add chopped romaine lettuce and toss to keep it crisp.

Notes

For best texture, rinse the pasta well with cold water and chill the salad before adding the romaine so the lettuce doesn’t wilt. Refrigerate leftovers in a covered container for 3-4 days; freeze is not recommended. For a lighter option, replace mayonnaise and sour cream with a reduced-fat mayonnaise or Greek-yogurt-based substitute while keeping the Dijon and lemon juice the same.