Easy High Protein BLT Pasta Salad

I’ve always loved a good BLT sandwich, but let’s be honest – they can be a little messy and not exactly filling enough for lunch. That’s where this pasta salad comes in. I took everything I love about a classic BLT and turned it into something I can make ahead and pack for lunch all week.

This recipe is packed with protein from the chicken, turkey bacon, and chickpea pasta. I’m talking around 30 grams per serving, which keeps me full for hours. And the best part? It tastes like the sandwich I love but without the bread falling apart in my hands.

The key is getting that crunch from the fresh lettuce and making sure your pasta has a good bite to it. That’s why I stick with Banza – it holds up better than regular pasta when you toss it with dressing. Trust me, nobody wants mushy pasta salad.

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What Kind of Pasta Should I Use?

This recipe calls for chickpea pasta, which is a great high-protein alternative to regular pasta and holds up really well in cold pasta salads. You can find it at most grocery stores these days, usually in the health food or pasta aisle – brands like Banza are pretty common. If you can’t find chickpea pasta or prefer something else, you could also use lentil pasta or whole wheat pasta, though your protein content will vary. Just cook whatever pasta you choose according to the package directions, and make sure to rinse it with cold water after draining so it stops cooking and cools down for the salad.

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Options for Substitutions

This pasta salad is pretty forgiving when it comes to swapping ingredients:

• Chickpea pasta: If you don’t have chickpea pasta, regular pasta works just fine. You can also try lentil pasta, whole wheat pasta, or even protein-packed edamame pasta. Cook according to package directions since cooking times vary.
• Turkey bacon: Regular pork bacon is a great substitute if you’re not watching calories. You can also use bacon bits in a pinch – just add them at the end without cooking.
• Chicken: Rotisserie chicken makes this super easy, but you can use leftover grilled chicken, canned chicken, or even skip it for a vegetarian version. Chickpeas or white beans would add protein if you leave out the meat.
• Ranch dressing: Any creamy dressing works here – try Caesar, blue cheese, or even a Greek yogurt-based dressing for extra protein. You might need to adjust the amount based on how thick your dressing is.
• Roma tomatoes: Cherry or grape tomatoes work great and require less chopping. Just halve or quarter them depending on size.
• Lettuce: Romaine, iceberg, or mixed greens all work. Just chop them into bite-sized pieces.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest mistake people make with pasta salad is adding the dressing while the pasta is still warm, which causes the lettuce to wilt and the dressing to get absorbed too quickly – always let your chickpea pasta cool completely in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before assembling.

Chickpea pasta tends to get mushy if overcooked, so pull it off the heat about a minute before the package directions suggest and rinse it under cold water to stop the cooking process immediately.

Another common error is adding the lettuce too early, which makes it soggy and limp – for the crispest results, toss in the chopped lettuce right before serving, or keep it on the side for people to add themselves.

Finally, don’t skimp on seasoning the individual components as you go; season the pasta water with salt, season your chicken while it’s warm, and taste before serving since the flavors can dull when chilled.

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What to Serve With BLT Pasta Salad?

This BLT pasta salad is pretty filling on its own since it’s packed with protein, but I love serving it alongside some garlic bread or a warm baguette for a complete meal. It’s also great as a side dish at cookouts – just pair it with grilled burgers, hot dogs, or barbecue chicken. If you want to keep things on the lighter side, some fresh fruit like watermelon or grapes makes a nice contrast to the creamy ranch dressing. This pasta salad also works well as meal prep for lunches throughout the week, and you can even add extra veggies like cucumber or bell peppers to bulk it up even more.

Storage Instructions

Store: This pasta salad keeps well in the fridge for about 3-4 days in an airtight container. I like to store the lettuce separately and add it fresh when I’m ready to eat, since it can get a bit wilted sitting in the dressing. The rest of the ingredients hold up great together though!

Make Ahead: You can totally prep this ahead for meal prep or a party. Cook the pasta, chicken, and bacon the night before, then toss everything together a few hours before serving. Just wait to add the lettuce until right before you eat to keep it crispy and fresh.

Serve: This salad tastes best served cold or at room temperature. If you’ve had it in the fridge, you might want to give it a good stir and add a splash more ranch if it seems a bit dry, since the pasta can soak up the dressing over time.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 950-1100
• Protein: 75-90 g
• Fat: 38-46 g
• Carbohydrates: 80-90 g

Ingredients

For the salad:

• 1 head lettuce (chopped into 1-inch ribbons for better crunch)
• 4 roma tomatoes (diced into 1/2-inch pieces and deseeded)
• 6 slices turkey bacon (I use Applegate for the best smoky flavor)
• 2.5 cups chicken
• 8.8 oz chickpea pasta (I always use Banza for the best firm texture)
• 1/4 red onion, finely diced

For the dressing and seasoning:

• 3/4 cup ranch dressing (I prefer Hidden Valley for that classic taste)
• salt
• black pepper
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder

Step 1: Prep the Fresh Vegetables

• 1 head lettuce, chopped into 1-inch ribbons
• 4 roma tomatoes, diced into 1/2-inch pieces and deseeded
• 1/4 red onion, finely diced

Wash the lettuce and chop it into 1-inch ribbons, then place in a large bowl.

Dice the roma tomatoes into 1/2-inch pieces, removing seeds as you go to prevent excess moisture in the final salad.

Finely dice the red onion.

Set all prepared vegetables aside—the lettuce can sit in the bowl while you work on the proteins.

Step 2: Cook the Bacon and Prepare the Chicken

• 6 slices turkey bacon
• 2.5 cups chicken

While you’re prepping vegetables, cook the turkey bacon slices in a skillet over medium-high heat until crispy, about 5-7 minutes.

Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and crumble once cooled.

If your chicken isn’t already cooked, cook it now (poached, grilled, or rotisserie); once cooked, chop it into bite-sized pieces.

I find that keeping the chicken pieces relatively uniform helps distribute them evenly throughout the salad.

Step 3: Cook and Cool the Pasta

• 8.8 oz chickpea pasta
• salt

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the chickpea pasta according to package directions until al dente—usually around 7-9 minutes.

Drain the pasta in a colander and rinse briefly with cool water to stop the cooking and remove excess starch.

Spread it on a baking sheet to cool completely, which prevents the salad from becoming warm and wilted.

Step 4: Assemble and Dress the Salad

• pasta from Step 3
• crumbled bacon from Step 2
• cooked chicken from Step 2
• red onion from Step 1
• lettuce and tomatoes from Step 1
• 3/4 cup ranch dressing
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• salt
• black pepper

Add the cooled pasta from Step 3, crumbled bacon from Step 2, diced chicken from Step 2, and diced red onion to the bowl with the lettuce and tomatoes.

Sprinkle the garlic powder, salt, and black pepper over everything, then drizzle the ranch dressing across the top.

Toss gently but thoroughly until all ingredients are evenly coated and combined—I like to use two large spoons to toss, which helps prevent breaking up the lettuce.

Easy High Protein BLT Pasta Salad

Delicious Easy High Protein BLT Pasta Salad recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 35 minutes mins

Total Time 55 minutes mins

Servings 6 servings

Calories 1025 kcal

Ingredients

  

For the salad

• 1 head lettuce (chopped into 1-inch ribbons for better crunch)
• 4 roma tomatoes (diced into 1/2-inch pieces and deseeded)
• 6 slices turkey bacon (I use Applegate for the best smoky flavor)
• 2.5 cups chicken
• 8.8 oz chickpea pasta (I always use Banza for the best firm texture)
• 1/4 red onion, finely diced

For the dressing and seasoning

• 3/4 cup ranch dressing (I prefer Hidden Valley for that classic taste)
• salt
• black pepper
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder

Instructions

 

• Wash the lettuce and chop it into 1-inch ribbons, then place in a large bowl. Dice the roma tomatoes into 1/2-inch pieces, removing seeds as you go to prevent excess moisture in the final salad. Finely dice the red onion. Set all prepared vegetables aside—the lettuce can sit in the bowl while you work on the proteins.
• While you're prepping vegetables, cook the turkey bacon slices in a skillet over medium-high heat until crispy, about 5-7 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and crumble once cooled. If your chicken isn't already cooked, cook it now (poached, grilled, or rotisserie); once cooked, chop it into bite-sized pieces. I find that keeping the chicken pieces relatively uniform helps distribute them evenly throughout the salad.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the chickpea pasta according to package directions until al dente—usually around 7-9 minutes. Drain the pasta in a colander and rinse briefly with cool water to stop the cooking and remove excess starch. Spread it on a baking sheet to cool completely, which prevents the salad from becoming warm and wilted.
• Add the cooled pasta from Step 3, crumbled bacon from Step 2, diced chicken from Step 2, and diced red onion to the bowl with the lettuce and tomatoes. Sprinkle the garlic powder, salt, and black pepper over everything, then drizzle the ranch dressing across the top. Toss gently but thoroughly until all ingredients are evenly coated and combined—I like to use two large spoons to toss, which helps prevent breaking up the lettuce.