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High Protein BBQ Chicken Pasta Salad

High protein BBQ chicken pasta salad with protein pasta, shredded BBQ chicken, and a ranch-BBQ dressing. Chill it for an easy meal prep salad with chewy pasta, melty cheddar, and bright corn and bell pepper.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
chilling 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 35 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

protein pasta (chickpea or lentil)
  • 1 lb protein pasta (chickpea or lentil) dry
cooked chicken breast, shredded
  • 3 cups cooked chicken breast, shredded
BBQ sauce
  • 0.5 cup BBQ sauce plus 2 tbsp for the dressing
  • 2 tbsp BBQ sauce for dressing
black beans
  • 1 can (15 oz) black beans drained and rinsed
corn kernels
  • 1 cup corn kernels
red bell pepper, diced
  • 1 red bell pepper, diced
red onion, diced
  • 0.5 cup red onion, diced
ranch dressing
  • 0.5 cup ranch dressing
cheddar cheese, shredded
  • 1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
cilantro, chopped
  • 0.25 cup cilantro, chopped
salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 salt and pepper to taste to taste

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Cook and cool the pasta
  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the protein pasta according to package directions. Drain the pasta and rinse with cold water until cool to the touch.
Flavor the chicken and make the dressing
  1. Toss the shredded chicken with 1/2 cup BBQ sauce until evenly coated. Let it sit 5 minutes so the sauce clings visibly to the chicken.
  2. Mix the ranch dressing with 2 tablespoons BBQ sauce until the color turns uniform. Stir until no separate streaks remain.
Assemble the salad
  1. Combine the cooled pasta, BBQ chicken, black beans, corn, red bell pepper, red onion, and cheddar cheese in a large bowl. Toss just until the ingredients are evenly distributed and the cheese is suspended throughout.
  2. Pour the ranch-BBQ dressing over the salad and toss to coat all components. Keep tossing until the pasta looks lightly glossy.
  3. Refrigerate the salad for at least 1 hour. Chill until the flavors meld and the pasta holds a firm, springy texture.
  4. Top with cilantro right before serving. Add it so you can see bright green flecks on the surface.
  5. Season with salt and pepper to taste, stirring gently to distribute. Stop when seasoning brings out the BBQ and ranch flavors without overpowering the salad.

Notes

For best meal prep results, chill the salad uncovered for 20 minutes, then cover—this prevents the pasta from getting overly wet. Store in the fridge up to 4 days; freezing is not recommended because the pasta and cheese texture can break down. For a lower-carb swap, use half protein pasta and half zucchini noodles, and add the ranch-BBQ dressing after chilling so the noodles stay crisp.