Honey Mustard Chicken Pasta (Printable version)
Tender chicken and al dente pasta tossed in creamy honey mustard dressing with crisp vegetables.
# What You’ll Need:
→ For the Salad
01 - 2 medium boneless, skinless chicken breasts
02 - 9 oz pasta (penne, rotini, or farfalle)
03 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
04 - 1 cup cucumber, diced
05 - 1 cup red bell pepper, diced
06 - 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
07 - 2 cups baby spinach or mixed greens
→ For the Honey Mustard Dressing
08 - 1/4 cup mayonnaise
09 - 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
10 - 2 tbsp honey
11 - 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
12 - 2 tbsp olive oil
13 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
→ For Cooking the Chicken
14 - 1 tbsp olive oil
15 - 1/2 tsp garlic powder
16 - Salt and pepper, to taste
# How to Make It:
01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Drain, rinse under cold water, and set aside.
02 - While the pasta cooks, season the chicken breasts with garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook for 6–7 minutes per side, or until cooked through and golden brown. Let rest for 5 minutes, then cut into bite-sized cubes.
03 - In a bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, honey, apple cider vinegar, olive oil, salt, and pepper until smooth. Adjust seasoning to taste.
04 - In a large bowl, combine the cooled pasta, chicken, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper, red onion, and spinach. Drizzle with the honey mustard dressing and toss gently to coat evenly.
05 - Garnish with fresh herbs if desired. Serve immediately, or refrigerate for 1 hour to allow the flavors to meld.
# Expert tips:
01 -
- The dressing doubles as a marinade if you want even more punch, and it comes together with pantry staples you probably already have.
- It holds up beautifully in the fridge for days without getting soggy, which means lunch is sorted long after the picnic ends.
02 -
- Rinsing the pasta under cold water stops the cooking process and washes away surface starch so the dressing slides on instead of gumming up.
- Underseasoning the dressing is the most common mistake because cold food always needs more salt than you think.
03 -
- Let the cooked chicken rest for the full five minutes before cutting or you will lose every drop of moisture to the cutting board.
- Make the dressing first so the flavors have time to meld while you prep everything else.