High Protein BBQ Chicken Pasta (Printable Version)
Smoky BBQ chicken tossed with protein pasta, fresh veggies, and a zesty yogurt dressing for a satisfying meal.
# Ingredient List:
→ Chicken
01 - 2 medium boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 14 oz)
02 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
03 - 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
04 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
05 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
06 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
07 - 3 tablespoons BBQ sauce (plus extra for drizzling)
→ Pasta
08 - 9 oz high-protein pasta (chickpea, lentil, or whole wheat penne)
→ Vegetables
09 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
10 - 1 cup yellow bell pepper, diced
11 - 1/2 cup red onion, finely diced
12 - 1 cup cucumber, diced
13 - 1/2 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained
14 - 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
→ Dressing
15 - 3 tablespoons Greek yogurt
16 - 2 tablespoons BBQ sauce
17 - 1 tablespoon lime juice
18 - 1 teaspoon honey or agave syrup
19 - 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
20 - Salt and pepper to taste
# How to Make:
01 - Pat the chicken breasts dry and coat evenly with smoked paprika, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper on both sides.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Sear the chicken for 5 to 6 minutes per side until golden and cooked through to an internal temperature of 165°F. Brush with BBQ sauce during the final 2 minutes of cooking. Transfer to a plate, let rest for 5 minutes, then dice into bite-sized pieces.
03 - While the chicken cooks, bring a medium saucepan of salted water to a boil. Cook the high-protein pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain and rinse under cold running water to halt cooking and cool the pasta.
04 - In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooled pasta, diced chicken, cherry tomatoes, yellow bell pepper, red onion, cucumber, black beans, and chopped cilantro.
05 - In a small bowl, whisk together the Greek yogurt, BBQ sauce, lime juice, honey or agave syrup, chili powder, and salt and pepper to taste until smooth and well blended.
06 - Pour the dressing over the salad and toss gently until all ingredients are evenly coated. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Drizzle with extra BBQ sauce and garnish with additional cilantro before serving if desired.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The combination of smoky chicken and zesty lime yogurt dressing hits every flavor note without weighing you down.
- It packs 34 grams of protein per serving, which makes it genuinely satisfying enough to stand on its own as a meal.
- It tastes even better the next day, so making a double batch is never a mistake.
02 -
- Rinsing the pasta with cold water is essential because warm noodles will absorb too much dressing and turn mushy by the time you serve it.
- Letting the chicken rest before cutting keeps the juices inside the meat rather than pooling on your cutting board.
- This salad actually improves after a few hours in the fridge as the flavors marry and the dressing soaks into the pasta just slightly.
03 -
- Salt your pasta cooking water generously because high protein pasta needs more seasoning than regular wheat pasta to taste balanced.
- Always make the dressing in a separate bowl first so you can taste and adjust before committing it to the whole salad.