Your next BBQ cries out for this Tropical Chicken Bowtie Pasta Salad! It’s easy, with few ingredients and has both sweet and savory elements and textures, making it a great side dish.
Two things on my mind today:
- I’m over The Bachelorette. Although I keep watching for some reason. OMGosh did you see the men tell all on Monday?! So. Much. Drama.
- I’m also over summertime and not having air conditioning in my house! Every day this week has been a million degrees with zero breeze. Ugh.
So…The Bachelorette. Do you watch it? Have you seen this train-wreck of a season? Geez. It’s been one dramatic episode after another. But, sigh. I’ve been sucked in. Kaitlyn has cried on every. single. episode. Every single one, guys! So much fighting, kissing, (and more than kissing, ahem) even a bromance happened this time around. Drama, I tell you! Next week is the finale and we will see if Nick or Shawn propose to Kaitlyn. I’m thinking Nick but spoilers say it’s Shawn so we will see!
And how about that weather? What’s it like where you’re at? It’s been great up until this week. I’ve sweltered inside my house. We’re lucky to live near the beach but we don’t have air conditioning. We have central heat because it does get a little cold but no AC. It’s usually not bad because we have so many windows and we get a nice breeze but this week seems breezeless (is that a word?!). So this momma has been running random errands around town just to get the heck outta the heat and into some AC!
The heat also means I do NOT feel like cooking. Or at least turning on my oven and heating up my entire house. So I’ve turned to the grill this week. And pasta salad, because who doesn’t like pasta salad?
This recipe comes from an old cookbook my mom put together for a church function. I can’t say I remember her making it when I was a kid but it must have been from in my family somewhere along the line. It’s incredibly easy because the creamy sauce is made from coleslaw dressing in the bottle. Probably not the healthiest choice but when you’re in a rush, this is great. It makes the salad creamy and adds a touch of sweetness that really goes well with the fruit and chicken.
A couple things that are great about this chicken bowtie pasta salad is that: 1) it’s creamy 2) it’s easy to make 3) includes 3 different kinds of fruit 4) it’s sweet and savory, which is a nice change from a “regular” pasta salad 5) it makes a big batch and lasts in the fridge for several days – which also means: great leftovers!! I hope you like it as much as we do!
Tropical Chicken Bowtie Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 1 1-lb box bowtie pasta
- 1 can pineapple tidbits drained
- 1 can mandarin oranges drained
- 1 1/2 cups halved seedless grapes
- 1 cup sliced celery
- 3 green onions sliced
- half of a 16-oz bottle coleslaw dressing I used Hidden Valley brand
- 3 chicken breast thin fillets cooked and diced - I grilled mine but you can cook on the stovetop or use rotisserie chicken meat
Instructions
- Cook bowtie pasta according to package directions.
- Meanwhile, cook chicken. I salt and peppered mine and grilled it, let it rest for a few minutes and then diced into chunks. But feel free to cook chicken however you'd like!
- Cut up grapes, celery and green onions. When pasta is finished cooking, drain and rinse with cool water. When thoroughly drained, pour into large mixing bowl.
- Add in cooked chicken, and remaining ingredients, stirring coleslaw dressing in until its combined.
- Serve right away or chill for a few hours and then serve.
- Store in a large air-tight container in the refrigerator. Lasts for several days in the fridge - can add a little extra coleslaw dressing to add moisture after a day or two. Enjoy!
Craving more pasta salad? Check out these recipes too:
30+ Delicious Pasta Salad Recipes
Roasted Asparagus & Mushroom Pesto Pasta Salad
More bowtie pasta salad recipes from my friends:
- Chicken Bacon Ranch Bowtie Pasta Salad by House of Yumm
- Dilled Avocado Ranch Bowtie Pasta Salad by Dessert Now, Dinner Later
- Buffalo Chicken Bowtie Pasta Salad by The Cookie Rookie
This looks delicious!!! If it has fruit in it, my kids will eat it, so that makes it a winner in my book. 🙂
What a great light salad for summer! I love this combination, Jen. I know all my boys will too.
I would die without AC!! Ah! I might die without this salad too. It has everything, creamy dressing, comes together quickly, lots of fruit and savory chicken!
Girl, how do you not have AC? I guess when you live the beach it wouldn’t be that bad 😉 but we are having 115 degree days (heat index) and I am about to die when we go outside but I think part of that is being preggo 😉
This pasta salad with all this tropical flavors as my name written all over it!
I’m from Arizona and hated the stupid summer heat! 115 is awful. 🙁 It gets to 90 at the hottest here but sometimes my house is way hotter than it is outside, like a hot box! But at least the ocean is just a short drive away!
What an awesome pasta salad. This is on my menu for next week.
Can’t wait to see what you think of it!! Thanks!
I guess I’m a little out of season but I am fixing this in November. It looks fantastic! Thanks for the recipe 🙂
Thanks a ton, Gwen!! It really is delicious and so easy!
Looks delicious!
Thanks Daley!