Broccoli Chicken Pasta Salad
Broccoli is combined with tender pasta, diced chicken, golden raisins, crunchy celery, almonds and crisp bacon. It's then all tossed together in a sweet and creamy honey mustard dressing in this Broccoli Chicken Pasta Salad recipe. This makes the best work lunch or side dish for your next party!
Servings: 12 side servings (4-6 entree servings)
Ingredients
- 1 lb. short pasta like radiatore, rotini or bow tie pasta
- 1 lb. chicken breasts or tenderloins
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoons Italian seasoning or Weber Kick'n Chicken seasoning for a spicier version
- 6-8 strips cooked bacon diced
- 3 cups broccoli florets cut into bite-sized pieces
- 3/4 cup diced celery
- 3/4 cup almonds slivered or sliced
- 1/2 cup golden raisins dried cranberries or cherries also work
- 1/3 cup green onions diced
- optional toppings** water chestnuts and baby spinach, see notes
Dressing
- 1 cup mayonnaise or light mayonnaise
- 1 cup sour cream or plain greek yogurt
- 2 1/2 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustad
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 3/4 tsp ground black pepper
- salt to taste start with 1/4 tsp and work your way up
Instructions
- Rub chicken with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Season liberally on both sides with salt, pepper and Italian seasoning (or Kick'n Chicken seasoning if you prefer spicier seasoning).
- Bring a large pot of salted water to boil while sautéing the chicken.
- In a skillet over medium-low heat, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add in the seasoned chicken and cook about 3-4 minutes per side or until cooked through. Rest 5 minutes then dice.
- Cook pasta in the boiling water according to the package instructions. Strain and rinse with cool water.
- In a large liquid measuring cup or medium bowl, add the dressing ingredients: mayo, sour cream, dijon mustard, honey and seasonings. Whisk until combined. Taste and adjust if needed.
- In a large mixing bowl combine all the pasta salad toppings: pasta, broccoli, chicken, bacon, celery, almonds, raisins, and pour over the dressing - reserving 1/4 cup.
- Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours before serving. Serve with reserved dressing if needed and give everything a toss.
Notes
Optional topping ideas:
- 1/2 cup diced water chestnuts
- 2 cups fresh baby spinach ( if using, only add 2 cups broccoli)
- 1/3 cup diced red onions instead of green onions
- dried cranberries instead of golden raisins
- dried cherries instead of golden raisins
- you can easily skip chicken if serving as a side dish
- pine nuts or diced pecans instead of almonds
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 489kcal | Carbohydrates: 44g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 23g | Sugar: 10g