BBQ Balsamic Grilled Chicken Pasta Salad

This BBQ Balsamic Grilled Chicken Pasta Salad combines juicy marinated grilled chicken with sweet peaches, charred corn, fresh vegetables, avocado, and tender tortiglioni pasta. Everything is tossed in a bright white balsamic dressing for an easy summer pasta salad that's fresh, smoky, sweet, and savory.

Course Appetizer, dinner, Grilling, Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine American, BBQ, Italian, Mediterranean, Southern

Keyword bbq balsamic grilled chicken pasta salad, grilled, healthy, quick, summer

Prep Time 25

Cook Time 15

Marinating Time 30

Servings Servings

Calories 300kcal

Author Bon Appeteach

Ingredients

BBQ Balsamic Grilled Chicken

1.5 lbs. Chicken Breast
1/3 cup Balsamic Vinegar
1/3 cup BBQ Sauce
1/4 cup Olive Oil
2 tbsp Honey
1 tbsp Dijon Mustard
2 Garlic Cloves minced
1 tsp Kosher Salt
1/2 tsp Black Pepper
1/2 tsp Paprika

White Balsamic Dressing

1/3 Olive Oil
1/4 White Balsamic Vinegar
1 tbsp Dijon Mustard
1 tbsp Honey
1 Garlic Clove minced
1/2 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Black Pepper

Pasta Salad

12 oz Tortiglioni Pasta or other short cut pasta
2 ears Fresh Corn
2 medium Peaches halved and diced
1.5 cups Cherry Tomatoes hlaved
1.5 cups Cucumber sliced
1/3 cup Red Onion diced small
4 Green Onions thinly sliced
1 Avocado diced
1/2 cup Fresh Basil roughly chopped

Instructions

Marinate the chicken

In a bowl, whisk together the balsamic vinegar, olive oil, BBQ sauce, brown sugar, Dijon mustard, garlic, salt, pepper, and smoked paprika.
Before adding the chicken, reserve about 1/4 cup of the marinade in a separate container for brushing onto the chicken while grilling.
Place the chicken in the remaining marinade, tossing to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 4 hours.

Make the white balsamic dressing

Whisk together the olive oil, white balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, honey, garlic, salt, and pepper until emulsified. Taste and adjust the salt or vinegar as needed. Set aside.

Cook the pasta

Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Cook the tortiglioni according to the package directions until al dente.
Drain and rinse briefly under cool water to stop the cooking process. Drain thoroughly and transfer to a large mixing bowl.
Toss the pasta with a few tablespoons of the white balsamic dressing while it is still slightly warm. Set aside to cool.

Grill the chicken and corn

Preheat the grill for medium-high direct heat, about 400–450°F.
Lightly oil the corn. Remove the chicken from the marinade and discard the marinade that was in contact with the raw chicken.
Grill the chicken for about 5–7 minutes per side, depending on thickness, brushing occasionally with the reserved clean marinade. Cook until the thickest portion reaches 165°F.
Grill the corn alongside the chicken, rotating every few minutes, until tender and lightly charred, about 8–10 minutes.
Let the chicken rest for 5–10 minutes before slicing or chopping. Let the corn cool slightly, then cut the kernels from the cob.

Assemble the pasta salad

Add the grilled corn, peaches, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, and green onions to the cooled pasta.
Pour in enough white balsamic dressing to generously coat the pasta and vegetables and toss well.
Gently fold in the avocado and fresh basil just before serving. Taste and season with additional salt and black pepper as needed.
Top with the sliced BBQ balsamic grilled chicken and serve.

Notes

Make ahead: The pasta, chicken, grilled corn, vegetables, and dressing can all be prepared ahead of time. For the best texture, wait to add the avocado and basil until shortly before serving.

Dressing the pasta: Tossing the pasta with a small amount of dressing while it's still slightly warm helps it absorb flavor instead of relying entirely on dressing added at the end.

Peaches: Use ripe but still firm peaches so they hold their shape when tossed with the pasta.

Serving temperature: This pasta salad is best served cool or at a lightly chilled room temperature rather than ice-cold.

Nutrition