American-Style Pasta Salad with Chicken and Pineapple Recipe
A creamy salad with pasta, chunks of chicken, sweet pineapple and crunchy vegetables is a classic of American picnics and potlucks, where everyone brings something to share. The sweet-and-salty combo may remind you of Hawaiian pizza, but in salad form it’s lighter and easy to pack in a lunch box.
Takie sałatki makaronowe z majonezowym sosem są stałym punktem amerykańskich grillów i przyjęć w ogrodzie, bo łatwo je zrobić z resztek pieczonego kurczaka i składników z puszki.
This salad combines classic American potluck vibes with a sweet-and-salty twist from pineapple and chicken. It’s easy to transport, can be made ahead, and tastes even better after chilling.
Dlaczego ta wersja działa
- Połączenie majonezu z jogurtem daje kremowy, ale lżejszy sos.
- Dobre odsączenie ananasa zapobiega rozwodnieniu sałatki.
- Studzenie makaronu i kurczaka osobno sprawia, że sos się nie rozrzedza.
Chef's tips
Make sure both the pasta and chicken are fully cooled before mixing with the dressing so the sauce stays thick and creamy instead of separating. If you’re making it for the next day, you can hold back a spoonful or two of dressing and mix it in just before serving for extra creaminess.
How to serve
Serve in a large bowl for sharing at picnics or buffets, or portion into individual containers for grab-and-go lunches. It pairs well with simple green salads and grilled meats.
Na co uważać
- Nie dodawaj ciepłego makaronu lub kurczaka do sosu – rozpuści to dressing i zrobi się wodnisty.
- Zbyt miękko ugotowany makaron po schłodzeniu będzie się rozpadał – lepiej lekko al dente.
Zamienniki
- Ananasa z puszki możesz zastąpić mango z puszki dobrze odsączonym z zalewy.
- Zamiast piersi z kurczaka użyj upieczonego kurczaka z rosołu, porwanego na kawałki.
- Jogurt gęsty można podmienić na kwaśną śmietanę 18% dla bardziej wyrazistego smaku.
Ingredients
- small pasta e.g. farfalle, fusilli - 250 g
- chicken breast - 300 g
- canned pineapple drained weight, chunks - 200 g
- red bell pepper medium - 1 piece
- celery stalk - 2 stalks
- chives chopped - 2 tablespoons
- mayonnaise - 3 tablespoons
- thick plain yogurt - 3 tablespoons
- lemon juice - 1 tablespoon
- granulated garlic for the dressing - 0.5 teaspoons
- sweet paprika powder for the chicken - 0.5 teaspoons
- vegetable oil for frying the chicken - 1 tablespoon
- salt to taste
- ground black pepper to taste
Preparation
- Cook the pasta in salted water according to the package instructions until soft but still springy. Drain, rinse with cold water and set aside to cool completely.
- Cut the chicken breast into small cubes. Season with salt, pepper and sweet paprika.
- Heat the oil in a pan over medium heat. Fry the chicken for 7–9 minutes, stirring, until the pieces are golden and no longer pink inside. Set aside to cool.
- Deseed the pepper and cut it into small cubes. Slice the celery into thin pieces. Drain the pineapple and cut into smaller chunks if they are large.
- In a large bowl mix the mayonnaise, yogurt, lemon juice, granulated garlic, a pinch of salt and pepper. You should get a thick, creamy dressing.
- Add the cooled pasta, chicken, pepper, celery, pineapple and chopped chives to the bowl with the dressing. Gently but thoroughly mix so the dressing coats all the ingredients.
- Taste and, if needed, season with more salt and pepper. Chill the salad in the fridge for at least 30 minutes so the flavors meld.
- Stir the salad again before serving, as the dressing may settle a bit at the bottom of the bowl.
Storage
Store the salad in an airtight container in the fridge and consume within 2–3 days. Stir before serving; if it seems a bit dry, you can loosen it with a spoonful of yogurt or mayonnaise.
This is one of those crowd-pleasing salads that disappear quickly at gatherings. The pineapple wins over even those who are skeptical at first, especially when everything is nicely chilled and the flavors have had time to blend.
