French Chicken Pasta Salad with Crunchy Vegetables Recipe
This French-style pasta salad with chicken and crunchy vegetables is an ideal dish for a lunchbox. In France, similar salads are often taken to work or on picnics – they are filling but can be eaten cold without reheating. A delicate yogurt-mustard dressing coats the pasta and vegetables so every bite is full of flavor.
This salad combines the comfort of pasta with lean protein and lots of crunchy vegetables, making it both satisfying and fresh – ideal for meals on the go.
Chef's tips
Don’t overcook the pasta; slightly al dente shapes hold their texture better in salads. If you’re packing it for lunch, keep a little extra dressing aside to stir in just before eating.
How to serve
Pack into individual containers for easy grab-and-go lunches. At home, serve it in a large bowl with extra chopped chives and lemon wedges on the side.
Ingredients
- pasta short, e.g. fusilli, farfalle - 250 g
- chicken breast - 250 g
- yellow bell pepper - 1 piece
- fresh cucumber long - 0.5 pieces
- carrot medium - 1 piece
- chives chopped - 2 tablespoons
- plain yogurt thick - 150 g
- mayonnaise - 1 tablespoon
- Dijon mustard - 1 teaspoon
- lemon juice - 1 tablespoon
- olive oil for frying the chicken - 1 tablespoon
- salt for cooking the pasta and seasoning the salad
- black pepper to taste
Preparation
- Cook the pasta in plenty of salted water according to the package instructions, but leave it slightly al dente. Drain, briefly rinse with cold water and set aside to cool.
- Trim and pat dry the chicken breast, then cut it into small cubes. Season with salt and pepper.
- Heat the olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the chicken and fry for 7–8 minutes, stirring, until the pieces are golden and no longer pink inside. Set aside to cool.
- Deseed the bell pepper and cut it into small cubes. Halve the cucumber lengthwise, scoop out the soft center with a teaspoon and slice into half-moons. Peel the carrot and grate it on a coarse grater.
- In a bowl, mix the yogurt, mayonnaise, mustard, lemon juice, a pinch of salt and pepper. The dressing should be smooth and slightly tangy.
- In a large bowl, combine the cooled pasta, chicken, bell pepper, cucumber, carrot and chives.
- Pour the dressing over everything and mix thoroughly so all the ingredients are evenly coated.
- Taste the salad and, if needed, season with more salt, pepper or a few drops of lemon juice. Refrigerate for at least 20 minutes so the flavors meld.
- Stir the salad gently once more before serving.
Storage
Store the salad in an airtight container in the fridge and eat within 2 days. If it thickens, loosen it with a spoonful of yogurt before serving.
I like to make a big batch on Sunday evening – it solves lunches for the next couple of days and tastes even better after resting overnight.
