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This Chili Oil Pasta Salad is a bold, spicy pasta salad made with rotini pasta, juicy blackened chicken, crunchy cabbage, cucumbers, peanuts, and a creamy sweet-heat chili crunch dressing. It can be served warm or cold, and the flavor only gets better as it sits, making it perfect for meal prep, cookouts, or easy weeknight dinners.
Behind This Spicy Pasta Salad Recipe
If you’ve been around here a while, you know I love pasta salads and have shared a lot of crowd-pleasing recipes. But this time around, I wanted something unique.
Instead of traditional flavors and the usual herbs, I wanted something creamy and exciting. A balance of acidity, heat, and sweetness, and of course lots of texture. That’s where this spicy pasta salad came in.
It’s packed with crunch from cabbage, cucumber, and salted peanuts, balanced with hearty rotini pasta and juicy blackened chicken. But the real star is the chili crunch creamy dressing. It’s creamy, tangy, slightly sweet, and has that slow-building heat that makes every bite a little more addictive than the last. What I love most is that this hot pasta salad works both ways—you can enjoy it freshly tossed while the chicken is still warm, or chill it and eat it cold straight from the fridge. Either way, it holds up beautifully and gets even better as the flavors mingle.
Tips From My Kitchen
I tested the dressing several times to get it just right. First, I used rice wine vinegar instead of lime. Although it had the tang, it didn’t have that vibrance and freshness that lime offers.
Finish with chili oil. A final drizzle of chili crunch on top adds heat, shine, and a visually appealing finish that lets people know what’s inside that makes this recipe special.
Perfectly cook chicken for maximum juiciness. Season chicken tenderloins generously with blackened/cajun seasoning, then cook in a skillet over medium heat for 3–4 minutes, flip once, reduce the heat to low, and cook until golden and the internal temp reaches 165°F. Let rest before dicing so the juices stay locked in.
Rinse pasta in cold water. You normally hear you shouldn’t rinse pasta, but with pasta salad, that’s always an exception. This stops the cooking process and keeps the pasta firm so it holds up in the creamy dressing.
Seed the cucumber. Removing the seeds prevents excess liquid from watering down the pasta salad and accumulating a puddle of water at the bottom of the bowl – yuck.
Go heavy on chili crunch. The heat is meant to balance the creamy dressing, so don’t be shy if you like spice.
Save some dressing. Toss the pasta salad with most of the dressing initially, then reserve the rest to mix in just before serving. The pasta naturally absorbs some of the dressing as it sits, so this keeps every bite creamy and well-coated.
Ingredients You’ll Need & Why
A few simple ingredients come together to create a creamy, spicy pasta salad with crunch, heat, and freshness in every bite.
Rotini Pasta – The spiral shape holds onto the creamy chili dressing, making every bite coated and flavorful.
Blackened Chicken – Juicy, seasoned chicken adds protein and depth, turning this pasta salad into a full meal.
Cabbage, Cucumber, Green Onion & Cilantro – These fresh ingredients add crunch, brightness, and balance to the creamy dressing.
Salted Peanuts – Bring texture and a subtle saltiness that enhances the sweet-heat flavor profile.
Chili Crunch Dressing – A creamy blend of sour cream, mayo, lime juice, garlic, honey, and chili crunch that ties everything together with heat, tang, and richness.
How to Make Chili Oil Pasta Salad
Here’s how to build this easy spicy pasta salad with step-by-step pictures.
Cook the Pasta
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the rotini until al dente according to package instructions.
Drain and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process and cool the pasta completely. Set aside.
Cook the Chicken
Season chicken tenderloins generously with blackened seasoning on both sides.
Heat a skillet over medium heat with a drizzle of oil.
Cook chicken for 3–4 minutes per side until golden and fully cooked through (internal temperature of 165°F).
Remove from heat and let rest for a few minutes before dicing into bite-sized pieces.
Make the Chili Crunch Dressing
In a medium bowl, whisk together sour cream, mayo, lime juice, grated garlic, salt, pepper, and honey until smooth.
Add chili crunch a spoonful at a time and swirl it into the dressing, adjusting spice level to taste. I am heavy-handed with my chili crunch because my family likes extra heat.
Assemble the Pasta Salad
In a large mixing bowl, combine cooled rotini pasta, diced chicken, cucumber, shredded cabbage, green onions, cilantro, and salted peanuts.
Pour over most of the dressing and toss until everything is evenly coated.
Reserve a small amount of dressing for just before serving.
Finish and Serve
Right before serving, add the remaining dressing and toss lightly.
Drizzle extra chili crunch over the top for heat and presentation.
Serve immediately warm or chill and serve cold—both versions are equally delicious.
How to Serve & Store Chili Oil Pasta Salad
This spicy pasta salad is incredibly versatile and can be served both warm or cold depending on your preference. I personally love it slightly warm right after tossing with the chicken, but it also holds up beautifully chilled straight from the fridge, making it perfect for meal prep or cookouts.
To serve, toss the pasta salad with the reserved dressing, then finish with an extra drizzle of chili crunch for heat and shine. It pairs perfectly with grilled burgers, hot dogs, or as a stand-alone lunch.
For storage, keep the pasta salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Because the pasta naturally absorbs some of the creamy chili dressing as it sits, I always recommend stirring in a small splash of extra dressing or a squeeze of lime juice and a spoonful of mayo before serving leftovers to bring back the creaminess.
More Pasta Salad Recipes to Try
If you love bold, creamy, and flavor-packed pasta salads like this chili oil pasta salad, you’ll also enjoy my Caprese Pasta Salad, Broccoli Chicken Pasta Salad, Dill Pickle Pasta Salad, Elote Street Corn Pasta Salad, and Pea and Bacon Pasta Salad. They’re all easy, make-ahead friendly, and perfect for busy weeknights or cookouts.
Have you tried this Chili Oil Pasta Salad recipe? If so, please comment below with any questions or feedback. Your opinions and reviews help other readers in my community.
Please be sure to tag me @BadBatchBaking using the hashtag #badbatchbaking if you made this recipe, and I will feature you in my story! Plus, I LOVE to see your cooking creations!
Chili Oil Pasta Salad
Ingredients
Pasta & Salad Base
- 1 lb rotini pasta
- 1 English cucumber halved, seeded, and diced
- 8 chicken tenderloins
- ½ small head purple cabbage shredded and roughly chopped
- 4 green onions sliced
- ⅓ cup fresh cilantro chopped
- ½ cup salted peanuts
- Blackened or cajun seasoning for chicken, to taste
- 2 tbsp olive oil
Chili Crunch Dressing
- ⅔ cup sour cream
- ⅔ cup mayonnaise
- 1 juicy lime juiced
- 1-2 garlic cloves grated
- 1 tbsp honey adjust to taste
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 2-3+ tbsp chili crunch adjust to taste
Instructions
Prep the Ingredients
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook rotini until al dente according to package instructions.
- Drain and rinse under cold water to stop cooking and cool completely.
- Season chicken tenderloins generously with blackened seasoning on all sides.
- Heat a skillet over medium heat with a drizzle of oil.
- Cook chicken for 3–4 minutes per side until golden and fully cooked through (internal temperature 165°F).
- Remove from heat and rest for a few minutes, then dice into bite-sized pieces.
Make the Dressing
- In a medium bowl, whisk together sour cream, mayo, lime juice, grated garlic, honey, salt, and pepper until smooth.
- Stir in chili crunch a little at a time until fully combined. Adjust spice level to taste.
Assemble the Pasta Salad
- In a large mixing bowl, combine pasta, chicken, cucumber, cabbage, green onions, cilantro, and peanuts.
- Pour over most of the dressing and toss until evenly coated, reserving a small amount of dressing for just before serving.
- Before serving, add remaining dressing and toss lightly.
- Drizzle extra chili crunch over the top. Store in the fridge covered tightly for up to 4 days.
Notes
- Can be served warm or chilled. We like to heat a bowl in the microwave to warm it through for a warm lunch or dinner.
- Seed the cucumber. This prevents excess water from thinning out the dressing as it sits.
- Adjust chili crunch to taste. Start light, but this recipe really shines when it has a noticeable heat level.
- Save extra dressing. The pasta will absorb some as it sits, so a final toss before serving brings the creaminess back.
- Best texture tip. This spicy pasta salad tastes even better after sitting for 1–2 hours, as the flavors blend.
