Go Back

Club Chicken Pasta Salad

Club sandwich salad meets chicken pasta in a sandwich-inspired mix of penne, diced chicken, crumbled bacon, cherry tomatoes, and cheddar. It’s tossed with a creamy Dijon dressing, chilled for 1 hour, then finished with crisp romaine for crunch.
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: 760
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Penne pasta
  • 1 lb penne pasta
Chicken and bacon
  • 2 cup cooked chicken breast, diced
  • 8 bacon slices, cooked and crumbled
Vegetables and cheese
  • 2 cup romaine lettuce, chopped
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
Dressing
  • 0.5 cup mayonnaise
  • 0.25 cup sour cream
  • 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • salt and pepper to taste

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Cook the pasta
  1. Cook penne pasta according to package directions until tender. Drain and rinse with cold water to stop cooking.
Make the Dijon dressing
  1. Whisk together mayonnaise, sour cream, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, salt, and pepper until smooth and creamy. The dressing should look uniform with no streaks.
Build the salad
  1. Combine the cooled pasta, diced chicken, crumbled bacon, cherry tomatoes, and shredded cheddar in a large bowl. Toss gently so the cheese and bacon are evenly distributed.
  2. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to coat thoroughly. Keep tossing until every piece looks lightly glazed.
Chill
  1. Refrigerate the salad for at least 1 hour. Chill until firm and well combined so the flavors meld.
Finish and serve
  1. Just before serving, add chopped romaine lettuce and toss. Serve immediately so the romaine stays crisp.

Notes

Pro tip: rinse the pasta well after draining to prevent clumping, then let it cool before mixing with dressing. Refrigerate in a covered container up to 3 days; freeze is not recommended because the lettuce and dairy dressing can break down. For a lighter option, use light mayonnaise and reduced-fat cheddar while keeping the same mixing and chilling steps.