This is a new twist on an old favorite…chicken pasta salad. But for today’s purposes, we also call it pregnant pasta salad, because lately, I’m loving dill flavor–isn’t everything better with pickles?
Summer heat means I am less inclined to want to use our oven. I mean, who wants to heat up the whole house just for some dinner? While this recipe does require you to boil some water for the pasta, that is the extent of the cooking. Everything else you can just mix together and let it all chill in the fridge. This dill pickle chicken pasta salad is delicious warm or chilled–I normally cannot wait until it’s chilled to eat the first bowl.
Based on your tastes, feel free to make whatever variations you deem necessary to this recipe. I know some folks prefer parsley to cilantro or baked chicken to a rotisserie and I’m not here to stop you! The poppy seeds were my mom’s addition–she always adds them and my husband likes crushed red pepper for a little kick of heat!
This dill pickle chicken pasta salad holds up great in the fridge for three-to-four days, but I wouldn’t push it much past that. (Honestly, I doubt it will last that long!)
If you’re looking for an easy dessert to pair with this summer salad, try the Grilled Pineapple: The Ultimate Summer Dessert.
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Dill Pickle Chicken Pasta Salad
- Prep Time: 10 min
- Cook Time: 9 min
- Total Time: 19 min
- Category: Dinner
Description
Chicken Pasta Salad gets a new kick with dill pickle. Your family will be requesting this oven-free recipe all summer long.
Ingredients
Meat from one Rotisserie Chicken diced
16 oz. elbow macaroni
1 cup mayonnaise
1/2 yellow onion diced
3 celery stalks diced
2 dill pickle spears diced
1 cup frozen peas
2 Tablespoons cilantro chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon poppy seeds
Instructions
1. Bring salted water to boil for pasta and cook for 9 minutes
2. While pasta is cooking, put frozen peas in a colander
3. While pasta is cooking, dice chicken, celery, pickles, and onion and put in a bowl.
4. Add mayo and salt, pepper, and poppy seeds to the bowl-do not mix up yet!
5. When pasta is done cooking, drain in the colander that the peas are sitting in. (the heat from the pasta will defrost the peas without overcooking them.)
6. Once pasta and peas are drained, add to the bowl with other ingredients and mix.
7. You can serve warm or cold. Keep the salad in the refrigerator.
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