Honey Mustard Chicken Pasta (Printer-Friendly)
Juicy chicken, crisp veggies, and tangy honey mustard dressing tossed with fusilli pasta for a refreshing summer dish.
# What You'll Need:
→ Chicken
01 - 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1½ lbs)
02 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
03 - ½ teaspoon salt
04 - ¼ teaspoon black pepper
05 - ½ teaspoon garlic powder
→ Pasta
06 - 9 oz fusilli or rotini pasta (about 3 cups dry)
→ Vegetables
07 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
08 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
09 - ½ red onion, thinly sliced
10 - ½ cup cucumber, diced
11 - ½ cup sweetcorn, canned (drained) or thawed if frozen
→ Honey Mustard Dressing
12 - 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
13 - 2 tablespoons honey
14 - 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
15 - 2 tablespoons Greek yogurt
16 - 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
17 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
18 - Salt and black pepper, to taste
→ Garnish
19 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
# How to Make It:
01 - Coat the chicken breasts evenly with olive oil, salt, black pepper, and garlic powder. Grill or pan-sear over medium heat for 6 to 7 minutes per side until the internal temperature reaches 165°F. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes before slicing thinly against the grain.
02 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add the fusilli or rotini and cook according to package directions until al dente. Drain thoroughly and rinse under cold running water to halt further cooking. Set aside to cool completely.
03 - In a large mixing bowl, toss together the cooled pasta, diced red bell pepper, halved cherry tomatoes, thinly sliced red onion, diced cucumber, and sweetcorn until evenly distributed.
04 - In a medium bowl, whisk together the Dijon mustard, honey, mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, apple cider vinegar, and olive oil until smooth and emulsified. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
05 - Add the sliced chicken to the pasta and vegetable mixture. Pour the honey mustard dressing over the top and toss gently until every component is thoroughly coated.
06 - Scatter the chopped fresh parsley over the finished salad. Serve chilled or at room temperature.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The dressing doubles as a quick marinade for the chicken, so you get double the payoff with zero extra effort.
- Everything comes together in forty minutes, and it tastes even better after sitting in the fridge for a few hours.
02 -
- Do not skip resting the chicken after cooking because slicing too early means all those flavorful juices end up on your cutting board instead of in the salad.
- Rinsing the pasta under cold water is not optional here since warm pasta will wilt the vegetables and make the dressing greasy.
03 -
- Spoon a couple tablespoons of the dressing over the raw chicken and let it sit for fifteen minutes before cooking, and you will be amazed at how much more flavorful the meat becomes.
- Dice all your vegetables roughly the same size as the pasta spirals so every forkful has a little bit of everything.