Chicken Bacon Apple Pasta Salad takes a classic pasta salad and adds a little fall flavor to it.
Tender chicken, crispy bacon, and chopped apples mix with pasta in a creamy Dijon dressing made from Greek yogurt.
It’s a High Protein dish, so it actually keeps you full instead of leaving you hungry an hour later.
You can serve this one cold, which makes it a solid option for potlucks, picnics, or a quick lunch during the week.
The apples bring a little sweetness and crunch, and the bacon adds a smoky, salty bite. Celery and red onion add in even more crunch, while the dried cranberries add a touch of sweetness to balance things out.
This pasta salad holds up well in the fridge too, so you can make it ahead and pack it for lunch over the next few days.
Whether you’re putting together a family dinner or bringing something to share, this dish covers a lot of ground without much effort.
Toss everything together, let it chill, and you’re ready to eat.
Why You’ll Love This Chicken Bacon Apple Pasta Salad
It Works as a Main Dish
This pasta salad has chicken, bacon, pasta, cheese, apples, and vegetables, so it feels like a full meal. It’s a solid option for lunch or dinner when you want something cold and ready from the fridge.
It Has Sweet and Savory Ingredients
The apples and dried cranberries add sweetness. The bacon, cheddar cheese, red onion, and Dijon dressing balance it out.
It’s Good for Meal Prep
This salad chills before serving, so it’s a good make-ahead recipe. Store it in the refrigerator and stir it before serving.
It Uses Common Ingredients
You’ll need whole wheat rotini pasta, cooked chicken breast, bacon, apples, celery, red onion, cheddar cheese, dried cranberries, parsley, Greek yogurt, light mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, honey, Dijon mustard, garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper.
It Has a Creamy Dressing
The dressing is creamy but not too thick. Greek yogurt, light mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, honey, and Dijon mustard give it a tangy, slightly sweet taste.
Ingredient Substitutions
Pasta
Whole wheat rotini can be replaced with regular rotini, bowtie pasta, penne, or another short pasta shape.
Chicken Breast
Cooked chicken breast can be replaced with rotisserie chicken, leftover grilled chicken, or cooked turkey breast.
Center-Cut Bacon
Center-cut bacon can be replaced with turkey bacon. Cook it until crisp before adding it to the salad.
Apples
Use a crisp apple that holds its texture. Honeycrisp, Fuji, Gala, or Granny Smith all work well.
Cheddar Cheese
Reduced-fat sharp cheddar can be replaced with regular sharp cheddar, Colby Jack, or mozzarella.
Dried Cranberries
Dried cranberries can be replaced with raisins or chopped dried cherries.
Greek Yogurt
Plain nonfat Greek yogurt can be replaced with plain low-fat Greek yogurt.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Apple cider vinegar can be replaced with white wine vinegar. The taste will be a little lighter.
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Chicken Bacon Apple Pasta Salad
Recipes are written with one action per step for accessibility. Short lines. Fewer rereads. A calmer kitchen on mobile or desktop.
Equipment
Ingredients
- 8 ounces whole wheat rotini pasta
- 3 cups cooked chicken breast chopped
- 4 slices center-cut bacon
- 2 large apples chopped
- ¾ cup celery chopped
- ⅓ cup red onion finely chopped
- ½ cup reduced-fat sharp cheddar cheese diced
- ⅓ cup dried cranberries roughly chopped
- 2 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
For the Creamy Apple Dijon Dressing:
- ½ cup plain nonfat greek yogurt
- 2 tablespoon light Mayonnaise
- 3 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
- Add the rotini pasta. Cook the pasta according to the package directions.
- Drain the pasta in a colander. Rinse the pasta under cold water. Drain the pasta well.
- Place the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook the bacon for 8 to 10 minutes, turning as needed, until crisp.
- Transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate. Let the bacon cool. Crumble the bacon into small pieces.
- Add the cooled pasta to a large mixing bowl. Add the chicken, apples, celery, red onion, cheddar cheese, dried cranberries, parsley, and bacon.
- In a small mixing bowl, add the Greek yogurt, light mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, honey, Dijon mustard, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper. Using a wire whisk, mix the dressing until smooth.
- Pour the dressing over the pasta salad. Toss until the pasta salad is evenly coated.
- Cover the bowl. Chill the pasta salad in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
- Stir before serving.
Notes
Tips and Tricks
Chop the apples close to mixing time – Apples can brown after they are cut. Add them close to when you mix the salad so they stay fresh. Use crisp apples – Soft apples can break down in the salad. Crisp apples hold up better after chilling.Storing
Store in the Refrigerator – Place the pasta salad in an airtight container. Store it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Stir Before Serving – Stir the pasta salad before serving. Add a small spoonful of Greek yogurt or a splash of apple cider vinegar if the salad seems dry.Nutrition
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