Description
A vibrant and satisfying High Protein Pasta Salad featuring fusilli pasta, diced cooked chicken, fresh vegetables, and a flavorful homemade dressing. This refreshing salad is packed with protein and perfect for a nutritious lunch or light dinner, served cold and easy to prepare in just 30 minutes.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta Salad:
- 1 pound dry fusilli pasta
- 4 cups diced cooked chicken
- 2 cups diced bell peppers
- 2 cups quartered cucumbers
- 2 cups corn
- 2 cups halved cherry tomatoes
- 1 cup halved black olives
- 1 ½ cups cottage cheese
Dressing:
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- ½ tablespoon dijon mustard
- ¼ teaspoon dried basil
- ¼ teaspoon dried parsley
- ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
Instructions
- Boil the Pasta: Bring a large pot of water to a boil and optionally add a teaspoon of salt for flavor. Cook the fusilli pasta al dente, about 3 minutes less than the package recommends, to ensure it holds its shape when mixed with the dressing.
- Prepare Vegetables: While the pasta cooks, dice the bell peppers, quarter the cucumbers, halve the cherry tomatoes, and slice the black olives to ready them for the salad.
- Make the Dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, red wine vinegar, dijon mustard, dried basil, parsley, oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, black pepper, and optional red pepper flakes until well combined.
- Cool the Pasta: Drain the cooked pasta in a colander and rinse under cold water to stop cooking and bring it to room temperature, preventing it from becoming mushy.
- Combine Ingredients: Transfer the cooled pasta to a large serving bowl. Add the cooked chicken, chopped vegetables, corn, and black olives.
- Add Cottage Cheese and Dressing: Pour the cottage cheese and prepared dressing over the salad ingredients, then gently toss to evenly coat everything without breaking the pasta or vegetables.
- Serve: Chill the salad briefly if desired, then serve cold as a nutritious and protein-rich meal or side dish.
Notes
- Cooking pasta al dente is important to maintain texture after mixing with dressing.
- Rinsing pasta in cold water stops the cooking process and cools the salad quickly.
- The dressing can be adjusted in spiciness by adding or omitting red pepper flakes.
- Use cooked chicken leftovers or rotisserie chicken for convenience.
- This salad is best served cold and eaten within 1-2 days refrigerated for freshness.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 280 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 350 mg
- Fat: 8 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 22 g
- Cholesterol: 40 mg
