Tangy barbecue sauce and tender chicken mingle with sweet corn, crisp bell pepper, and onion in this incredibly flavorful and easy Barbecue Chicken Pasta Salad. It’s perfect for cookouts and family gatherings, and also makes a satisfying lunch or dinner on the go.
Maximum flavor, minimum effort
Barbecue chicken pasta salad is reliably simple to prepare, and you can scale the effort to suit your time and tastes. Whether you assemble it in minutes or build every component from scratch, the result is always crowd-pleasing.
For a quick version, use a store-bought rotisserie chicken and bottled barbecue sauce. If you prefer to make everything yourself, homemade rotisserie chicken and a housemade barbecue sauce also work beautifully — both approaches deliver delicious results, and guests won’t mind the shortcut if you choose it.
This salad shines in the summer, but it’s equally welcome year-round. Serve it alongside grilled meats, burgers, or roast beef, or enjoy it on its own as a filling main.
Recipe Ingredients
Below is a clear list of the ingredients used and a few helpful notes to guide your choices.
- Chicken. Use shredded rotisserie chicken, either store-bought or homemade. You can also poach chicken breasts if preferred.
- Barbecue sauce. Any good-quality bottled sauce works, or use your favorite homemade barbecue sauce.
- Pasta. Rotini is ideal for holding sauce and mix-ins, but penne or another short pasta will also work.
- Corn. Frozen corn is convenient and tasty; fresh corn from the cob is an excellent seasonal option.
- Vegetables. Red bell pepper, red onion, and green onions add color, crunch, and brightness.
- The brine. A simple brine of white vinegar, water, sugar, oil, sea salt, and white pepper adds depth of flavor and helps the salad taste well-rounded and deli-style. Allowing the salad to sit in the brine improves the overall flavor.
See the recipe card below for exact quantities and full ingredient details.
How to make bbq chicken pasta salad
The steps below will walk you through preparing the brine, cooking the pasta, and finishing the salad.
- Whisk together the brine ingredients in a large bowl: white vinegar, water, sugar, neutral oil, fine sea salt, and white pepper. Set aside.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta until al dente. Drain and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking and cool the pasta. Re-whisk the brine, then add the cooled pasta, shredded chicken, diced red onion, diced red bell pepper, and corn. Toss thoroughly so everything is evenly coated.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least a few hours, ideally overnight, so the flavors meld and the brine penetrates the pasta and chicken. If short on time, you can continue without resting, but the salad is best after a rest.
- When ready to serve, stir in the barbecue sauce, mayonnaise, and sliced green onions. Adjust the amounts of mayo and barbecue sauce to achieve your preferred creamy consistency. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper if needed. Chill briefly before serving, if desired.
Top tips
- Don’t skip the brine. Letting the pasta salad rest in the brine overnight significantly improves depth of flavor.
- Adjust consistency. Add more mayonnaise or barbecue sauce to make the salad creamier or to intensify the barbecue flavor. Leftovers can dry out slightly, so they may benefit from an extra splash of mayo when served later.
More pasta salad recipes
Try these other pasta salads when you want variety:
- Chicken pesto pasta salad
- Italian pasta salad
- Tuna macaroni salad
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Loaded Barbecue Chicken Pasta Salad
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Ingredients
For the brine
- 3 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 2 tablespoons neutral oil
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon white pepper
Remaining ingredients
- 1/2 pound rotini pasta or any short pasta you like
- 1 1/4 pounds pulled rotisserie chicken
- 1/2 cup diced red onion
- 1 large red bell pepper finely diced
- 1 cup corn kernels
- 1/2 cup barbecue sauce storebought or homemade
- 3/4 cup mayonnaise plus more to achieve a smooth consistency
- 5 green onions sliced
Instructions
For the brine
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In a large bowl, whisk together the brine ingredients and set aside.
For the bbq chicken pasta salad
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Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta to al dente. Drain and rinse the pasta under cold water to cool it and stop the cooking process.
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Whisk the brine again, then add the pasta, shredded chicken, diced onion, bell pepper, and corn. Mix well to coat. Refrigerate for several hours or overnight to allow flavors to develop.
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Before serving, stir in the barbecue sauce, mayonnaise, and sliced green onions. Add more mayo or barbecue sauce if needed to reach your preferred creaminess. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve chilled or at room temperature. Enjoy!
Notes
- Servings. Makes about 8 moderate side-dish servings or 4–6 servings as a main course.
- Brine. Allowing the pasta and chicken to rest in the brine overnight yields the best flavor.
- Adjust to taste. Add more barbecue sauce or mayonnaise as needed; leftovers sometimes benefit from a little extra mayo to refresh texture.
- Storage. Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 3 days. Flavors often improve after a day.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximation.