Description
A comforting and creamy chicken pasta salad, perfect for summer gatherings or as a make-ahead side dish that balances flavors and textures.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 cups rotini or penne pasta, dry
- 1 pound cooked chicken breast, diced
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 cup cucumber, diced
- ½ cup red bell pepper, diced
- ½ cup green onions, chopped
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- ½ cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- Fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Cook the pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente according to package directions (usually 8–12 minutes). Drain and rinse briefly under cold water to cool the pasta. Drain well.
- Prepare the chicken: If you don’t have cooked chicken, poach or pan-sear boneless skinless chicken breasts seasoned with salt and pepper, then dice. Use leftover or rotisserie chicken for speed.
- Chop the veg: Halve cherry tomatoes, dice cucumber and red pepper, and slice green onions. Pat tomatoes dry if they’re especially juicy.
- Make the dressing: In a medium bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, and a pinch of salt and pepper until smooth. Adjust seasoning as needed.
- Combine: In a large bowl, add cooled pasta, diced chicken, tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper, and green onions. Pour dressing over and gently toss to coat.
- Chill or serve: For best flavor, refrigerate at least 30 minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh parsley if desired.
Notes
For a lighter version, reduce mayonnaise and use more Greek yogurt. Dressings can be kept separate when transporting for best results.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: Mixing
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 552
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 335mg
- Fat: 34g
- Saturated Fat: 4.6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 29g
- Fiber: 1.9g
- Protein: 31g
- Cholesterol: 70mg