Honey BBQ Chicken Pasta Salad (Printable)

Tender glazed chicken with pasta, fresh vegetables, and smoky creamy dressing—ideal for warm weather sharing.

# What You'll Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 2 cups cooked chicken breast, cut into bite-sized chunks
02 - 1/3 cup honey
03 - 1/3 cup smoky BBQ sauce
04 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
05 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
06 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
07 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

→ Pasta

08 - 12 ounces rotini or penne pasta

→ Vegetables

09 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
10 - 1 cup corn kernels, fresh or thawed
11 - 1/2 cup red bell pepper, diced
12 - 1/2 cup celery, thinly sliced
13 - 1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped

→ Dressing

14 - 3/4 cup mayonnaise
15 - 1/4 cup sour cream
16 - 2 tablespoons BBQ sauce
17 - 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
18 - 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
19 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
20 - Salt and black pepper to taste

→ Garnish

21 - 2 tablespoons fresh chives or parsley, chopped

# How To:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente. Drain in a colander and rinse under cold running water until completely cooled. Set aside.
02 - While pasta cooks, combine chicken chunks with honey, BBQ sauce, olive oil, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper in a bowl. Transfer to a skillet and sauté over medium heat for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until heated through and glazed. Allow to cool to room temperature.
03 - In a large mixing bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, sour cream, BBQ sauce, Dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper until smooth and well combined.
04 - Add the cooled pasta, glazed chicken, cherry tomatoes, corn, red bell pepper, celery, and red onion to the bowl containing the dressing. Toss gently with a spoon or salad tongs until all ingredients are evenly coated.
05 - Taste the salad and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper if needed. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to allow flavors to meld.
06 - Transfer to a serving bowl and garnish with chopped chives or parsley if desired. Serve chilled.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It tastes like summer but comes together faster than you'd expect, perfect when you're short on time but need something impressive.
  • The smoky-sweet balance keeps everyone happy—even the folks who claim they don't like salads suddenly find themselves with an empty plate.
  • Leftovers (if you have them) taste even better the next day as the flavors deepen and meld together.
02 -
  • The pasta must be completely cool before mixing, or it'll absorb the dressing unevenly and become gummy instead of silky.
  • Don't skip the cooling step for the chicken either—if it's warm, it'll wilt the other ingredients and break down the dressing's texture.
  • Taste the dressing before you add everything together, because once the pasta is in, you can't easily fix under-seasoning.
03 -
  • Buy a rotisserie chicken if you're short on time—tear it into chunks and it'll absorb the glaze just as beautifully as chicken you cooked from raw.
  • Whisk your dressing in the bowl where you'll be mixing everything; one less thing to wash and no risk of the dressing sitting around losing its emulsion.
  • The recipe works just as well with Greek yogurt instead of sour cream if you want to lighten it, though the tang will be different—more subtle and cleaner tasting.
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