You’ll Need
For the Chicken
2 chicken breasts, diced
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp garlic powder
½ tsp onion powder
1 tsp sea salt
½ tsp black pepper
For the Pasta Salad
300g dried fusilli or penne pasta
6 rashers smoked streaky bacon, cooked until crisp and chopped
100g mature cheddar, diced
100g sweetcorn
3 spring onions, sliced
3 tbsp diced gherkins
BBQ Ranch Dressing
4 tbsp mayonnaise
3 tbsp sour cream
2 tbsp smoky BBQ sauce
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
½ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp dried parsley
Freshly cracked black pepper
Optional but dangerous
Crispy fried onions
Jalapeños
Chopped chives
Extra BBQ sauce
Crushed tortilla chips
Method
Preheat your air fryer to 200°C.
Toss the diced chicken with the olive oil, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, sea salt and black pepper.
Air fry for 10–12 minutes, shaking halfway, until lightly charred around the edges and cooked through.
Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to the packet instructions until just tender. Drain and rinse under cold
water, then allow it to cool completely.
In a large bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, BBQ sauce, Dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar, garlic
powder, parsley and black pepper until smooth.
Add the cooled pasta, cooked chicken, crispy bacon, cheddar, sweetcorn, spring onions and diced gherkins.
Fold everything together until evenly coated in the dressing.
Chill for 20–30 minutes to let the flavours develop.
Finish with crispy onions, jalapeños, chives or an extra drizzle of BBQ sauce if using.
Serve cold alongside ribs, brisket, burgers or grilled sausages.