Chicken Cilantro Avocado Pasta Salad

This pasta salad adds in chicken and replaces the classic mayo dressing with a yogurt base for a high protein, low-fat recipe. Experiment with the dressing, vegetables, and aromatics for different flavor profiles.

Ingredients

Pasta Salad Components:

  • 227 g (1/2 lb) dried macaroni, or pasta of choice

  • 227 g (1/2 lb) cooked chicken breast

  • 75g (3/4 cup) cherry tomatoes, quartered

  • 1/2 red onion, diced

  • 1/2 large avocado, diced

  • 100 g (~1/2 cup) corn

  • 30g (1/4 cup) minced cilantro

  • 30g (1/4 cup) minced roasted hatch chilis (optional)

Yogurt-Lime Dressing:

  • 100 g (~3/4 cup) plain nonfat yogurt

  • 20 g (1-2 tbsp) mayo

  • Juice from 1 lime

  • 5 g (1 tsp) kosher salt

  • 5 g (1 tsp) cayenne pepper

  • 1 g (1/4 tsp) garlic powder

  • 1 g (1/4 tsp) MSG (optional)

Instructions

Prep the Pasta & Chicken: Add your pasta to a pot of boiling, salted water. Make sure to overcook the pasta by 3 or 4 minutes longer than the package says. Overcooking the pasta will let it be perfectly chewy when cooled down in the salad, instead of just hardening up. Once the overcooked pasta is done, strain it off and spread it onto a baking sheet to cool. Take your cooked chicken breasts (poached, baked, or grilled), and dice them into bite-sized cubes.

Prepare Vegetables and Dressing: Broil or grill your corn, then slice the kernels off. Slice your onion, quarter the cherry tomatoes, cube up the avocado, and mince the cilantro and hatch chilis. For the dressing, add the yogurt, mayo, lime juice, cayenne, garlic powder, and msg to a container and mix until combined. Give it a taste and adjust as needed.

Assembly: Combine cooked pasta, chicken, vegetables, and dressing in a large bowl or container until everything is well covered. You don’t have to add all the dressing - mix to your desired level of coverage. I like letting my mac salad rest in the fridge for at least 1 hour before serving — it’s even better overnight.

Notes & Variations

This Chicken Avocado Cilantro Pasta Salad is replacing half of the pasta with chicken for fewer carbs and more lean protein.

Possible Variations:

  1. Instead of chicken, experiment with Beans, Tofu, Sausage, or other proteins.

  2. Use the dressing to mix up the flavor profile! Make it spicy with more chilies or make a curry powder dressing for an Indian-inspired salad.

  3. Almost any crunchy vegetable will do! If you have something else, try it!

Sides, Snacks & Appetizers, SaladsEthan Chlebowskivegetables, pasta, healthy, quick