Healthy Thai Chicken Pasta Salad Recipe – Learn Like a Pro : A healthful dish to bring to parties, or a quick weeknight supper option, is this creamy and spicy Thai chicken pasta salad! The pasta and vegetables in this meal are coated with a nutty, spicy sauce with Thai influences, which gives it an amazing flavor.
Add a colorful Asian flavor to your pasta salads this summer! This Thai-inspired chicken pasta salad is bursting with vibrant, crisp veggies, aromatic herbs, tender shredded chicken, and an intensely delicious, spicy Thai sauce.
Healthy Thai Chicken Pasta Salad Recipe – Learn Like a Pro
We make this using brown rice pasta, but this quinoa and brown rice version is also really good. You can use any pasta that your family likes if you don’t need to make this gluten-free.
INGREDIENTS
- 8 ounces gluten free pasta brown rice or a quinoa/brown rice blend, cooked, rinsed and drained
- 2 cups shredded chicken
- 2 cups red cabbage shredded
- 2 cups carrots shredded
- 2 cups cucumbers chopped
- 1/4 cup green onions chopped
- 1/4 cup cilantro chopped
- 1/4 cup basil chopped
Thai “Peanut Sauce” Dressing
- 1/2 cup Sun Butter No Sugar Added
- 1/2 cup coconut milk full fat
- 1/2 cup rice wine vinegar unsweetened
- 6 tablespoons coconut aminos sub 3 tablespoons of tamari or soy sauce + 3 tablespoons water
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil
- 2-3 tablespoons sriracha paleo, if possible – this makes a spicy dressing!
- 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
INSTRUCTIONS
To a large salad bowl, add the macaroni, chicken, and chopped vegetables.
In a blender, combine all the dressing ingredients and pulse until a creamy dressing forms.
After adding the dressing, toss the pasta salad to mix it well. I either coat the salad with half of the dressing at first and taste as I go, or I pour extra dressing on the side.
Add fresh herbs and, if desired, toasted cashews, almonds, or sunflower seeds to the salad as garnish.
Present the salad immediately. Pasta without gluten does not store well and dries out in a day.
ALSO SEE
NOTES
The salad with all of the dressing is included in the nutrition data. If you use only half of the dressing, they are smaller.
Tips for Making the Perfect Pasta Salad
Preparing in Advance: Avoid prepping the gluten-free pasta in advance. Pasta without gluten dries up rapidly and is difficult to reheat. When ready to serve, boil, drain, and rinse the pasta and toss it with the chicken, veggies, herbs, and dressing. Meanwhile, prepare the other vegetables and make the dressing.
Make this nut- and peanut-free: Instead of using peanuts, Sun Butter sunflower seed butter is used to make the Thai “peanut sauce” type dressing, which makes it nut free. Add some crispy, toasted sunflower seeds on the top of this salad.
Mix Up the Vegetables: This salad would be excellent with blanched (but still slightly crunchy) green beans, broccoli, or cauliflower. It would also be quite tasty to use sliced red peppers! Play around with the vegetables you have available.
NUTRITION
- Calories: 476kcal
- Carbohydrates: 48g
- Protein: 21g
- Fat: 23g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Cholesterol: 35mg
- Sodium: 746mg
- Potassium: 459mg
- Fiber: 3g
- Sugar: 7g
- Vitamin A: 7668IU
- Vitamin C: 26mg
- Calcium: 76mg
- Iron: 3mg
FAQs
1. Can I use whole wheat pasta instead of regular pasta?
Yes, if you want more fiber and nutrition, whole wheat pasta is a terrific alternative. It can be replaced in this recipe without significantly altering the directions.
2. Can I use a different protein instead of chicken?
Of course! For this salad, grilled shrimp, tofu, or even chickpeas all make wonderful substitutions for the chicken. Just be sure to fully cook them before tossing them into the salad.
3. Can I make this salad ahead of time?
Indeed, you can make this salad in advance. To avoid the salad getting too wet, it’s advisable to apply the dressing right before serving.
