Mexican Street Corn Chicken Pasta Salad

Ingredients

Salad Base:

  • Pasta: Bowtie (Farfalle) pasta (the creator used Barilla Protein+)
  • Chicken: Grilled, seasoned chicken breast, chopped
  • Bacon: Cooked and crumbled/chopped
  • Black Beans: Drained and rinsed
  • Corn: Sweet kernel corn
  • Avocado: Diced
  • Red Onion: Finely chopped
  • Green Onions: Sliced
  • Jalapeño: Finely diced (leave seeds in for extra spice, or remove for milder heat)
  • Cilantro: Chopped
  • Cheese: Crumbled Queso Fresco (fresh Mexican crumbling cheese)

Creamy Mexican Dressing:

  • Mayonnaise (e.g., Duke’s)
  • Sour cream (Daisy Brand)
  • Mexican hot sauce (Valentina)
  • Fresh lime juice
  • Paprika
  • Onion powder
  • Garlic powder
  • Chili powder
  • Sea salt

Instructions

  1. Assemble the Salad: In a large mixing bowl, add the cooked and cooled bowtie pasta. Add the chopped bacon, grilled chicken, black beans, corn, diced avocado, red onion, green onions, jalapeños, and fresh cilantro.
  2. Add the Cheese: Crumble a generous amount of Queso Fresco right on top of the salad ingredients.
  3. Make the Dressing: In a separate bowl, combine mayonnaise, Mexican hot sauce (Valentina), freshly squeezed lime juice, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, chili powder, and salt. Whisk until smooth, then stir in a scoop of sour cream for extra creaminess.
  4. Combine & Toss: Pour the creamy dressing over the pasta mixture. Stir thoroughly until all the ingredients are evenly coated.
  5. Serve: Serve chilled or at room temperature.