High Protein Pasta Salad
High protein pasta salad with seared chicken, chickpeas, mozzarella and crisp vegetables in a lemon herb Greek yogurt dressing. About 47g of protein per serving and perfect for meal prep.
Ingredients
Salad
- 12 oz rotini or fusilli pasta uncooked
- 1.25 lbs halal chicken breast boneless, skinless, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- 1 tbsp olive oil for the chicken
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 3/4 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 15 oz can chickpeas drained and rinsed
- 1 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes halved
- 1 1/2 cups English cucumber diced
- 1 medium red bell pepper finely diced
- 1/2 small red onion finely diced
- 8 oz fresh mozzarella pearls drained; microbial rennet
Lemon herb yogurt dressing
- 3/4 cup plain full-fat Greek yogurt
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 2 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp honey
- 2 cloves garlic finely grated
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan-style cheese microbial rennet
- 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
- 3/4 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley finely chopped
- 2 tbsp fresh dill finely chopped
Instructions
- Boil the pasta in salted water for 1 minute past the package al dente time. Drain, rinse under cold water for 45 to 60 seconds until cool, and let drain for 5 minutes.
- Pat the chicken dry and toss with 1 tsp Italian seasoning, garlic powder, 3/4 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper. Sear in 1 tbsp olive oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat for 6 to 7 minutes until cooked through to 165°F (74°C). Cool on a plate for 10 minutes.
- Whisk the Greek yogurt, 3 tbsp olive oil, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, Dijon, honey, garlic, Parmesan, 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning, 3/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper until smooth. Stir in the parsley and dill.
- In an extra-large bowl, combine the cooled pasta, chicken, chickpeas, tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper, red onion and mozzarella pearls.
- Toss with about 1 cup (two-thirds) of the dressing. Save the rest. Serve right away or chill for 30 to 60 minutes.
- Right before serving, stir in the saved dressing. Serve cold.
Notes
Cook the pasta 1 minute past al dente so it stays soft when cold. Save one-third of the dressing to stir in before serving. Store in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 4 days. Do not freeze. Use halal chicken and cheese made with microbial or vegetable rennet.