Name: Southwestern Chicken Pasta Salad
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 35 min
Ingredients: 3 chicken breasts (seasoned with taco or fajita seasoning); 1/2 pound of bacon (cooked crisp and crumbled); 12 oz package of spiral pasta; 1/2 cup Ranch dressing (not dry mix); 1/2 cup salsa (regular NOT a fruity blend); 1 teaspoon taco or fajita seasoning; 1 fresh tomato (chopped); 1 cup shredded Mexican blend cheese (or cheddar cheese)

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Southwestern chicken pasta salad combines spicy Mexican flavors with an easy to make pasta salad. Perfect for entertaining at a barbecue or potluck or as an easy lunch, this pasta salad will leave you and your guests hungry for more.

I have to admit, this is one of my favorite chicken pasta salads.

The combo of taco and fajita seasonings in this is *chef’s kiss* perfection.

My family loves it too and it’s always a hit at potlucks and barbecues since it is so full of flavor.

I love it because it’s easy to make, and perfect the next day or served right away.

Ingredients

You’ll need to have the following ingredients on hand to make this spicy chicken pasta salad:

Chicken breasts – Use boneless, skinless breasts and trim the extra fat off.
Bacon – Use your favorite variety and make sure to cook it up so it is crispy so that you can easily crumble it.
Spiral pasta – If you don’t have a spiral pasta, you can use a different variety like ziti or penne.
Ranch dressing – You will need the dressing, not the dry mix.
Salsa – You should use a regular tomato based blend. You can choose your level of heat.
Taco or fajita seasoning – You can use your favorite brand and heat level.
Tomato – You can use whichever tomato variety you like best.
Mexican blend cheese – You could also use cheddar cheese or a combination of cheeses.

How to make

This easy to make pasta salad is comes together quickly once the pasta and chicken are ready.

Here’s what you need to do.

First, preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

Next, generously season the chicken with either taco or fajita seasoning and bake for 30 minutes or until cooked through.

Allow the cooked chicken to cool slightly and then dice or shred.

Set the chicken aside or place, covered in the fridge to help it cool down.

Next, cook the pasta according to the package directions and then set aside to cool.

While the pasta is cooking, you can cook up the bacon.

Make sure it gets nice and crispy and then drain as much grease as you can using paper towels. When it has cooled, use your hands to crumble.

Right before assembling the pasta salad, chop up the tomato.

Finally, in a large bowl combine all ingredients. Mix until well combined.

You can serve it while it is still slightly warm or allow it to chill in the fridge for an hour or two.

Serving and storing

This tastes great when you first make it, but I find I like it best when it has chilled in the fridge for at least an hour.

Since it gets better with some chill, you can easily make this the day ahead and serve it for lunch or bring it to a get together.

To store, scoop the pasta salad into an airtight container.

It should keep in the fridge for about 3 to 5 days.

If you plan to make ahead, you can prepare the chicken, bacon, and pasta easily and store in separate containers.

Tips and tricks

You can slightly hack the recipe by using a rotisserie chicken. If you do this, dice or shred the breasts and then generously season and toss with the taco or fajita seasoning.
To change the heat or spiciness, you can mix and match your salsa and taco seasonings. You should be able to find mild to hot versions of both. If you love heat, you can use hot of both, but if you prefer a milder flavor, you can use just mild flavors.
Make sure to use Ranch dressing, not the dry mix. The dressing gives the pasta salad its creamy sauce.

Other pasta salad recipes

Southwestern chicken pasta salad is winner at picnics, potlucks and barbecues!

Make it for your next gathering and enjoy!

If you love pasta salads and other tasty, easy picnic sides check out some of my other favorites:

If you’ve tried this SOUTHWESTERN CHICKEN PASTA SALAD, or any other recipe on the site, let me know in the comment section how it turned out, we love hearing from our readers! You can also follow along with me on PINTEREST, FACEBOOK, and INSTAGRAM to see more amazing recipes and whatever else we’ve got going on!