High Protein Pasta Salad with Yogurt Dressing

A high protein pasta salad made with seared thin-sliced chicken breasts, fresh vegetables, bowtie pasta, and a low-calorie lemon yogurt dressing! This spicy creamy pasta recipe is exactly the healthy comfort food you need on those hot summer days.

Why you’ll love this high protein chicken salad

Pasta salad with yogurt dressing 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!

If you’re looking for healthy pasta salad recipes for weight loss, this is definitely one. It is full of protein from chicken and yogurt, and you only need a small amount of pasta to make it a delicious complete meal.

It is perfect as a quick and easy lunch or dinner. This high protein chicken salad with pasta is also ideal for entertaining, picnic, potluck or even lunchbox.

Greek yogurt and mint are always a delicious combo with chicken, whether it is a chicken marinade as in Baked Hariyali Chicken Legs or a healthy pasta salad with yogurt.

In this recipe, we pan-sear the chicken (or use leftover roast chicken), add crunchy veggies and drizzle the spicy yogurt dressing on top.

I love yogurt for its tangy flavor and creamy texture. It is a perfect low fat alternative to mayo or sour cream. That’s why I use it in recipes like potato salad with raisins and healthy no-mayo coleslaw with red cabbage.

You can just leave out the pasta for a delicious low-carb veggie chicken salad. (Find more options in the tips below👇)

This EASY, CREAMY, PASTA SALAD WITH YOGURT DRESSING is heavenly, especially during those hot months when you crave something chilled and yummy. Without spending much time in the kitchen.

Some salads like pumpkin quinoa salad serve as sides while some can be eaten as a wholesome meal. This high-protein pasta salad has every aspect of a balanced meal: protein, carbs, fiber, vitamins, and minerals.

So it qualifies as a quick and easy dinner, packed lunch, picnic or potluck salad. (Like the quinoa pasta salad with balsamic vinaigrette and creamy pasta with zucchini and mushrooms.)

The spicy yogurt dressing for this salad is very easy to make and bursting with flavors. (Similar to most of my sauces and chutneys like Thai basil pesto, roasted garlic pesto, green mint chutney and avocado chutney.)

It is also a healthy recipe you can make with leftover chicken- roasted, boiled or baked.

I make this salad often with baked thin-sliced chicken breasts or panko crumb chicken. Simply because they’re so easy to make (hands-free, no-mess). It is also the healthiest way to eat this high protein chicken salad.

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Pasta salad ingredients

Pasta: Farfalle (bowtie) or fusilli (spiral) 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 balsamic pasta salad.

Chicken: Chicken breasts are thinly sliced lengthwise and marinated with spices, pan-seared/grilled and diced.

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

Lemon yogurt dressing

This spicy yogurt dressing gives a characteristic creamy flavor to the pasta salad. It is made of basic ingredients, almost similar to my magic green sauce with avocado:

• Greek yogurt
• Mint leaves
• Almonds
• Chillies
• Garlic
• Lemon juice
• Himalayan pink salt

How to make high protein pasta salad: Step by step

(You can find the exact measurements and instructions in the printable recipe card at the end of this page.)

Cook the pasta al dente, drain and rinse in cold water. Toss with 2 teaspoons of olive oil.

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

Cook the chicken: Slice the chicken breasts horizontally into thin halves. This helps the chicken absorb the marinade easier and quicker. Check out how to thinly slice chicken breasts by clicking here.

Season the chicken with chili powder, paprika, garlic powder, lemon juice and salt. After about 10 minutes, pan-fry the seasoned chicken breasts in oil. Chop them into bite-sized cubes.

Make lemon yogurt dressing: Blend all ingredients in a food processor.

Toss the chicken, vegetables and pasta together. Add half of the spicy yogurt dressing and toss well.

Add the other half and toss again. Garnish with green onions. Serve the veggie chicken salad immediately or chill and serve later.

(This is a no-oil salad dressing like the one I use for the paneer salad recipe.)

Tips to make pasta salad with yogurt dressing

• Pasta can be replaced with a healthier carb like brown rice or wholewheat pasta.
• For low-carb options, just skip the pasta (in that case, use half the quantity of the yogurt dressing). Or replace pasta with cooked quinoa for a high-protein quinoa salad.
• Vegetarian chicken salad: Substitute the chicken with boiled eggs or cubes of pressed tofu cooked with the same seasoning.
• The yogurt dressing tastes even better if you roast the garlic and almonds. Dry-roast chopped garlic and almonds in a pan on low flame for 5 minutes and cool before blending. Roasted garlic tastes amazing in sauces like roasted red pepper salad dressing and on salads like beetroot salad with feta and walnuts.
• If you love citrus flavors, add some lemon zest.
• Half of mint can be replaced with cilantro for variation.

Common questions about high protein pasta salad

Looking For More Salads?

More Pasta Recipes You Might Like

Love spicy pasta? You might want to try the yummy red pesto pasta made with chili pesto sauce, easy spaghetti arrabbiata or spinach almond pesto pasta.

More Chicken Recipes

If you’re looking for simple pan-seared chicken, you might love balsamic chicken with rosemary sauce and lemon coriander chicken with yogurt mustard sauce.

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