Southwestern Chicken Pasta Salad
This Southwestern chicken pasta salad is packed with protein from chicken, black beans, and a Greek yogurt chipotle ranch. Easy, no mayo, and great for meal prep!
Ingredients
- 8 ounces dried protein pasta Kaizen or Brami work great
- 8 ounces fully cooked chicken breast shredded or chopped
- 1/2 cup black beans drained and rinsed
- 1/2 cup corn fresh, frozen, or drained canned corn
- 1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
- 1/2 cup sliced green onions
- 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes halved
- 1/3 cup crumbled cotija or light feta cheese optional
- 1-2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro optional
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1 cup homemade Greek yogurt chipotle ranch dressing
Instructions
- Cook the protein pasta according to package directions until al dente. Then, drain and set aside.
- Add the drained cooked pasta to a large bowl. Then, add the fully cooked chicken, rinsed and drained black beans, corn, diced red bell pepper, sliced green onions, halved cherry tomatoes, crumbled cotija cheese, chopped fresh cilantro, salt, and pepper to the bowl. Lightly toss these ingredients.
- Pour the chipotle ranch dressing into the bowl with the pasta salad and toss to combine until evenly coated. Enjoy, or chill the pasta salad and add the dressing when ready to serve.
Video
Notes
- Chipotle Ranch Dressing: My homemade chipotle ranch dressing recipe uses Greek yogurt instead of mayo, so it's lighter than traditional chipotle ranch dressing and comes together in minutes. Store-bought works in a pinch, but my homemade version really is that easy.
- Add Dressing Before Serving: The pasta soaks up the dressing as it sits, so I recommend adding it before serving.
- Finely Chop: Finely chop your veggies. Chop the bell pepper, tomatoes, and green onions evenly so the flavors distribute throughout the salad and every bite gets a good mix.
- Pasta to Use: I use Brami or Kaizen protein pasta in this recipe because they add protein and fiber without changing the flavor of the salad. If you don't have either on hand, any protein pasta you love works. Or, regular pasta is totally fine too if that's what's in your pantry.
- Corn: Fresh corn off the cob is my favorite in the summer, but frozen or canned corn works just as well the rest of the year. I always have a bag of frozen corn in the freezer for recipes like this one.
- Chicken Breast: Rotisserie chicken is my go-to for convenience, but slow cooker shredded chicken, air-fried, or baked and shredded chicken all work great. Just ensure it’s fully cooked.
Nutrition
Serving: 2 cups | Calories: 410kcal | Carbohydrates: 55g | Protein: 39g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 51mg | Sodium: 655mg | Fiber: 8.5g | Sugar: 6g