This Cajun Chicken Pasta Salad was an unplanned event. I just had a 2nd back surgery 4 days ago, and was itching to try something, anything in the kitchen. It had to be an easy make ahead dish. A cold dish sounded good because it is hot (about 99 degrees) outside.
The idea behind the Cajun Chicken Pasta Salad
Some chicken is thawed and ready to use but what to make became the question of the day.
I haven’t had pasta salad in eons but the thought of the normal pasta salads held no appeal. Upon seeing the Cajun seasoning in the cupboard, a light bulb went off in my head! Cajun Chicken Pasta Salad sounds amazing.
Make the marinade and let the chicken chill.
The Cajun Chicken Pasta Salad recipe is born! Together, Yvonne and I begin creating a masterpiece.
First, I grab the jar of seasoning and some Red Chili Powder. Next, I add some Italian seasoning, along with Olive oil and Rice Wine vinegar. I mix up a marinade in a big ziploc bag.
I want the chicken to cook fairly quick. Therefore, I halved all 3 chicken breasts lengthwise. In addition, this gives the marinade more surface to soak into. The marinaded chicken goes into the fridge to chill.
NOTE: the chicken should marinate 2-3 hours in the fridge before cooking. See recipe below for further instructions!
Prep the rest of ingredients
It is time to dice up bell peppers, onion, halve cherry tomatoes, chop the cilantro and mince the garlic. I almost forgot the cheese! There is cheese to be cubed, as well.
The bow tie pasta is on the stove cooking. Once the pasta reaches al dente, drain and rinse with cold water. This will stop the cooking process. Drain thoroughly, cover and set aside.
Al dente means the pasta is tender but still firm. Thanks https://www.thespruceeats.com/what-is-al-dente–995554 for providing a good definition!
The next step is to make the creamy dressing. Mix the spices, plain greek yogurt, mayonnaise, and honey together in a small bowl.
Cooking hack:
Coat the measuring spoon with your choice oil before you measure out the honey. This way, the honey won’t stick to the spoon.
Mix all ingredients together. Serve up and enjoy!
For those with sensitive tummies, this sister can relate
I inherited our Dad’s taste buds and tummy. As a result, I normally don’t care for spicy foods. However, the flavor in this Cajun Chicken Pasta Salad is so dang good!! This one is definitely a keeper!!
Conclusion
The dressing is creamy, tangy, and spicy. The pasta is al dente and the chicken is tender, full of flavor from the marinade. The crunchy coolness of the bell peppers, cucumbers, tomatoes. Add in the soft creaminess of cubed mozzarella and, Oh my. It is forkful after forkful of heaven.
Cajun Chicken Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- Marinated Chicken
- 3-4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 2 tbsp Cajun seasoning
- 1 tbsp chili powder
- 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
- 1 tbsp Rice wine vinegar
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- Pasta Salad
- 1 lb pasta any shape you like
- 1 green bell pepper cored and diced
- 1 red bell pepper cored and diced
- 1/2 white onion diced
- 1 cucumber peeled, halved and sliced
- 1 pint orange cherry tomatoes cut in half
- 1 cup cubed mozzarella cheese
- 3 cloves of garlic minced
- 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
- 1 lime juiced
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1 tsp Rice wine vinegar
- 1 tbsp Cajun seasoning
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1 6 oz container plain Greek yogurt
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- At least 3 hours before making the pasta salad, the chicken needs to go into its marinade soak.
- In a large ziploc bag, combine the Cajun seasoning, chili powder, Italian seasoning, Rice wine vinegar, honey, and olive oil.
- Close bag, and mix well.
- If the chicken is pretty thick, go ahead and halve it lengthwise, this will decrease the cook time.
- Pop the chicken breasts into the marinade and seal the bag again, turning to coat well. Place in the refrigerator for a minimum of 2 hours.
- If you are able to, this is a great time to start prepping the veggies for the salad. Just work your way thru the list, putting each ingredient into a separate bowl, cover tightly, and pop in the fridge.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Place the marinated chicken into a baking dish and bake uncovered for 20 to 25 minutes. Check with a meat thermometer, it should be at 165 degrees.
- Cover with foil and set aside.
- While the chicken is cooking, start prepping the salad.
- Put a large pot of water on to boil for the pasta. Cook the pasta until al dente, check the package for cooking times.
- If you did not prep the veggies earlier, now is the time to do so. Just start with the bell pepper, and work your way down the list to the cheese, leaving things in separate piles on the cutting board.
- When pasta is done, drain and start rinsing with cold water. This stops the cooking process. Continue rinsing until the pasta is cool to the touch. Allow to drain for another couple of minutes, then pour into a large bowl.
- In a small bowl, combine the minced garlic, cilantro, lime juice, honey, Rice wine vinegar, Cajun seasoning, mayonnaise, and yogurt. Whisk until smooth. Give it a taste before adding any salt or pepper. Add them if you feel it needs any, taste in between any additions.
- Pour over the salad, toss gently until every last little bite is coated.
- Finally, slice each chicken breast and lay across each serving of the pasta salad.
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