This ABCLT pasta salad has all the amazing tastes of a BLT sandwich with the added flavors and nutrients of an avocado, chicken and cheese.
Total Time: 20 Servings: 6
$16.65 Recipe / $2.78 Serving
ABCLT Pasta Salad
There’s nothing quite like eating a bacon, lettuce and tomato (BLT) sandwich on a hot summer day. Especially when a garden fresh tomato is used! Am I right?
Well if you love BLTs, then you are definitely going to love this pasta salad! I’ve taken the original B, L, and T, and then added an A and two Cs. Avocado, Bacon, Cheese, Chicken, Lettuce (or Spinach), and Tomato Pasta Salad. Yum! In addition to encompassing all of the delicious tastes of a BLT sandwich, this salad offers the added flavors and nutrient of an avocado, cheese and rotisserie chicken. These flavors are then tied together with a delicious, savory and slightly tangy yogurt based BBQ ranch dressing.
This salad is super easy to whip up, doesn’t heat up your house, and tastes great as leftovers the next day! Win, win win for those hot lazy summer days! Or any time of the year really.
Nutrition Powerhouse
This salad not only tastes amazing, but it also offers:
- carbohydrates for energy
- protein for tissue building and satiety
- fiber for gut health and satiety
- mono and polyunsaturated fats for heart and brain health
- vitamin C, vitamin K, vitamin A, folate, calcium, magnesium, potassium, phosphorus and manganese to keep your body systems functioning optimally
How to Make it
Start by cooking your bowtie pasta (or any other small shaped pasta) according to its package directions.
While the pasta is cooking, chop up your avocado, cheese, chicken, lettuce and tomatoes.
Next mix together all of the BBQ Ranch dressing ingredients.
When your pasta is done cooking, drain it then allow it to cool before mixing the ingredients together (this prevents the lettuce from wilting).
Finally, add all of the ingredients together in a large bowl, then pour the dressing on top. Sprinkle it with a dash of salt and black pepper then give it a good mixing.
Substitutions
I used bowtie pasta for this ABCLT pasta salad recipe, but you could use any smaller pasta you have on hand, like penne or rotini.
Don’t have grape or cherry tomatoes? Any larger tomato cut into smaller pieces would definitely work in their place.
I love using this yogurt based BBQ ranch dressing for it’s reduced amount of saturated fat and the calcium, protein and vitamin D the yogurt provides, but if you don’t have these ingredients on hand you could easily substitute the yogurt and ranch seasoning with store bought ranch dressing.
Main Dish Recipes
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ABCLT Pasta Salad
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Start by cooking your pasta according to it's package directions
- While the pasta is cooking, chop your lettuce, grape tomatoes, avocado, cheese and chicken
- Next, in a small bowl, mix all of the BBQ Ranch dressing ingredients together until well combined
- When the pasta is done cooking, drain it then allow it to cool
- In a large bowl add the cooled pasta along with the lettuce (or spinach), grape tomatoes, avocado, mozzarella cheese, bacon crumbles and rotisserie chicken. Drizzle the dressing on top of everything then sprinkle it with a dash of salt and ground black pepper
- Mix all of the ingredients together until evening coated with the dressing
- You can enjoy it right away or store it in an airtight container in your fridge for 3 to 4 days
A great summer pasta salad. Delish