Easy creamy pasta salad with chicken

This creamy pasta salad with chicken, vegetables and a surprisingly healthy dressing is a delicious meal in itself. Perfect as a quick and easy lunch or dinner, it is also ideal for entertaining, picnic, potluck or even lunchbox, it is kid-friendly too. You can never go wrong with such a simple yet delicious dish.

This easy pasta salad with a creamy mint yogurt dressing tastes as amazing as it looks, with its different colors, flavors and nutrients. A healthy pasta salad that looks and tastes creamy (without actual cream in it) is the best and most delicious way to make kids (and grownups) eat their veggies.

Ingredients for pasta salad

Pasta: Fusilli or farfalle are best suited for a pasta salad, especially one with a creamy dressing as the dressing clings on to the grooves and curves of the pasta, making it very flavorful. Like the fusilli in veggie pasta salad with balsamic vinaigrette.

Dressing: This 5-minute easy dressing gives a characteristic creamy flavor to the pasta salad. It is made of basic ingredients- yogurt, mint, almonds, chilies, garlic, lemon juice and pink salt.

Chicken: Chicken breasts are marinated with spices, pan-seared and diced.

Want a hands-free, no-mess recipe for cooking chicken breasts? Try the juicy oven-baked chicken breasts.

Vegetables: Salad vegetables like bell peppers, celery, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, onions and carrots can be used.

How to make creamy pasta salad

(Full printable recipe card at the end of post.)

Cook the pasta al dente, drain and rinse in cold water.

While the pasta cooks, prep the vegetables and rest of the ingredients.

Cook the chicken: Marinate the chicken with chili powder, paprika, garlic powder, lemon juice and salt. Pan-fry the marinated chicken breasts in oil. Chop them into bite-sized cubes.

Make the dressing: Blend all ingredients in a food processor.

Toss the chicken, vegetables and pasta together. Add the mint yogurt dressing and toss well. Garnish with green onions. Serve this salad immediately or chill and serve later.

FAQ

Bonus tip: The salad dressing tastes even better if you use roasted garlic and almonds.

A bonus recipe: Put together this chicken pasta salad with yogurt dressing on lettuce to make these amazing lettuce wraps.

Other awesome salads you may like:

pomegranate salad with mango

vibrant lentil salad with turmeric

beet orange salad

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More healthy pasta recipes:

creamy vegan pasta with chickpeas and spinach

angel hair pasta with shrimps

red bean soup with pasta

Easy creamy pasta salad with chicken

This creamy chicken pasta salad with a surprisingly healthy dressing is a delicious meal in itself. Perfect as a quick and easy lunch or dinner, it is also ideal for entertaining, picnic, potluck or even lunchbox, it is kid-friendly too. You can never go wrong with such a simple yet delicious dish.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 mins

Cook Time 20 mins

Total Time 30 mins

Course dinner, LUNCH, Main Course, Salad

Cuisine International

Servings 4

Calories 382 kcal

Ingredients

  

Pasta salad dressing

• 1/2 cup Greek yogurt
• 1/2 cup mint leaves tightly packed
• 1/4 cup almonds
• 1 or 2 green chilies jalapeno or serrano
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon salt Himalayan pink or regular (note 1)

Chicken

• 3 chicken breasts about 150 grams/5 oz each
• 1/2 teaspoon chilli powder
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil for searing

Pasta salad

• 1 cup uncooked pasta farfalle or fusilli, preferably
• 1/2 cup bell peppers thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup celery chopped
• 1/4 cup cucumber thinly sliced into half-moons
• 3 tablespoons green onions for garnish

Instructions

 

Cook pasta

• Cook pasta al dente. Drain and rinse with cold water.

Cook chicken

• While the pasta is cooking, prep the chicken and vegetables. Mix chili powder, paprika, garlic powder, lemon juice and salt. Rub the chicken with the spice mix.
• Heat oil in a non-stick pan and sear the chicken breasts on medium-high heat. Cook covered for 3 to 4 minutes on one side, flip and cook the other side for 3 minutes. (note 2)
• Remove from heat and let it cool. Chop into bite-sized pieces.

Pasta salad

• Mix the vegetables, chicken and pasta in a large salad bowl. Drizzle half of the yogurt dressing and toss everything together. Add the remaining dressing and toss again. Garnish with green onions. Serve immediately or refrigerate and serve chilled. (note 3)

Video

Notes

1. Himalayan pink salt gives better flavor to salads (see: lentil salad with turmeric, veggie pasta salad). You can substitute with regular salt if unavailable.
2. Cooking the chicken covered will let the chicken “sweat” and makes it tender and juicy. You can also cook chicken using the juicy baked chicken breast recipe.
3. Make-ahead option: This pasta salad doesn’t keep well. You can leave it in the refrigerator overnight, not any longer. It is not suitable for freezing, either.
4. Leftovers: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator and consume it the next day.
5. Vegetarian option: Substitute the chicken with a tofu stir-fry like the quick and easy braised tofu.

 

Keyword creamy pasta salad recipe, pasta salad recipe healthy, pasta salad with chicken

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