Delicious Mexican Pasta Salad with street corn, black beans and chicken – simple to throw together and the perfect side dish!
Everyone always has that one side dish that’s easy to throw together and perfect to carry to potlucks and BBQ’s. For some of us, it’s a really good dessert (like these no-bake Scotcheroos…) For others, it’s as easy as a simple pasta salad.
I have memories as a kid of my parents bringing good old fashioned green bean casserole to almost every church picnic and potluck we ever had. It was just one of those things that everyone loved, and was simple to throw together.
Thirty years later, I find myself taking this simple Mexican Pasta Salad to potlucks and church picnics just because it is so easy to throw together. (Not to mention everyone always tears it up!)
Having a reliable side dish can really be a blessing though. Something that requires easy ingredients, minimal effort and that everyone will love. This Mexican pasta salad comes together with rotini pasta (though it would look even better with colored rotini pasta).
Add in the following:
- halved cherry tomatoes
- roasted sweet corn
- seasoned black beans
- chopped cilantro
- queso fresco or feta cheese
- diced avocado
Go a step further and dice up a few jalapeños for some extra heat. Stir in the sauce, and chill in the refrigerator until it’s ready to serve.
Avocados take the pasta salad to the next level. However… if you are planning on taking this salad to a potluck, you might want to add the avocados just before serving. Or, toss the diced avocados with a little lemon juice before adding to the salad to help them retain their color.
Serve up the pasta salad with your favorite grilling recipes as a generous side. Don’t have a rotisserie chicken? Skip the meat and keep it straight pasta salad with veggies.
Mexican Street Corn, Black Bean and Chicken Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 1 lb rotini pasta cooked according to box directions
- 1 C rotisserie chicken cut into 1" pieces
- 14 oz yellow sweet corn drained
- 14 oz black beans drained and rinsed
- 2 ea jalapeno peppers seeded and diced
- 1/2 C cherry tomatoes halved
- 2 ea avocados pitted and cubed
- 1.25 C queso fresco cheese crumbled
- 1/4 C cilantro chopped
- 1 C ranch dressing
- 1 packet taco seasoning
- 1 Tbsp water
Instructions
- Place a baking mat or foil on a baking pan and spread the corn evenly over it. Place under the broiler, keeping a sharp eye, until it just begins to char. Remove and set aside.
- In a small bowl, whisk the ranch dressing and taco seasoning together. Add water if necessary if you prefer yours to be thin.
- In a large bowl, add the pasta, chicken, corn, jalapeno peppers, tomatoes, avocados and 1 cup of the cheese. Toss with dressing.
- Garnish with fresh cilantro and remaining cheese and serve.
Did you make this Mexican Pasta Salad? If so, please please tag us @RebootedMom and share your results with us on Facebook.
Don’t forget to rate the recipe and comment below – I’d love to know how it turned out for you!
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