As the sun starts to shine and the days get longer, my craving for fresh, delicious meals that are perfect for sharing skyrockets! And what better way to satisfy that craving than with a light and flavorful chicken broccoli pasta salad? This dish ticks all the boxes for summer: it’s easy to prepare, packed with vibrant ingredients, and perfect for taking along to any barbecue or potluck.
Imagine a picnic table laden with grilled burgers and hot dogs, and amidst the laughter and sunshine, your chicken broccoli pasta salad takes center stage. The cool, creamy dressing coats tender pasta, juicy chicken chunks, and crisp broccoli florets, creating a symphony of textures and flavors that everyone will adore. Plus, with its easy-to-handle proportions of 8, 1-cup servings, you can feed a crowd without breaking a sweat (or a calorie bank!). And let’s not forget the guilt-free factor: each serving clocks in at just 3 points on WW, making it a delicious and healthy choice for any occasion.
So, as you prepare for the summer season filled with outdoor gatherings and good times, remember this chicken broccoli pasta salad. It’s a recipe that’s guaranteed to bring smiles to faces and leave everyone wanting more. So grab your ingredients, whip it up, and get ready to share the taste of summer in every bite!
Three reasons why you need to make this recipe!
It’s a protein pasta salad!
Each serving of this pasta salad gives you a hefty 14 grams of protein thanks to the addition of the chicken. So you could use this as a meal if you are in a pinch and need something quick.
Chicken Broccoli Pasta Salad is versatile.
Don’t like almonds? Leave them out! Make this pasta salad yours by using your favorite veggies and dressing.
It’s basically a no cook meal.
You could easily make this a no cook meal by using leftover rotisserie chicken and pre-cooked pasta. You could have this meal ready to eat within minutes.
Ingredients you need to make Chicken Broccoli Pasta Salad:
- 2 cups penne -measured dry
- 1.5 cups cooked shredded chicken
- 2 cups fresh broccoli
- 1 cup diced celery
- ½ cup diced red onion
- ⅓ cup sliced almonds
- ⅓ cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt
- ⅓ cup fat-free sour cream
- ¼ cup light mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- Dash of salt and pepper
How to make Chicken Broccoli Pasta Salad (step by step):
- Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Drain this pasta and place it in a large bowl.
- Cut the broccoli, celery, and red onion. Add the veggies, shredded chicken, and sliced almonds to the cooled pasta.
- In a small bowl, mix the yogurt, sour cream, mayonnaise, and mustard. Add in the seasonings and stir well.
- Gently fold the yogurt mixture into the pasta. Let it chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before serving. Enjoy!
Makes 8 (1 cup) servings. Nutrition info for 1 cup: Calories 202, Fat 6 g, Saturated fat .87 g, Carbs 23 g, Fiber 3.68 g, Sugars 2.81 g, Sodium 216.47 mg, Protein 14 g.
WW Points For Chicken Broccoli Pasta Salad
- Dry penne pasta 15 points
- Cooked shredded chicken 0 points
- Fresh broccoli 0 points
- Diced celery 0 points
- Diced red onion 0 points
- Sliced almonds 4 points
- Nonfat plain Greek yogurt 0 points
- Fat free sour cream 2 points
- Light mayonnaise 5 points
- Dijon mustard 0 points
- Italian seasoning 0 points
- Salt and pepper 0 points
3 points per serving based on the WW app recipe creator.
If you’re using an older version of WW, check out these points below.
Personal Points- 2-4 depending on your 0PP foods
Smart Points- Blue & Green- 4 using WW recipe builder
Smart Points- Purple- 2 using WW recipe builder *when using whole wheat pasta
Points Plus- 4 using PP calculator
Different ways to change up this recipe:
- You can also use a rotini or macaroni noodle if you prefer.
- Use Banza pasta to boost the protein and fiber, and to make this dish gluten-free.
Tips and Tricks for Making Chicken Broccoli Pasta Salad:
- You can easily prep this salad the night before. Either mix it all up and store it in an air-tight container in the fridge or you can keep everything separate and mix it just before you are ready to serve.
- Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
- If you are like me and love cheese you can definitely add some to this dish. My preference would be feta but honestly, any cheese will be a great addition. If you are following WW just be sure to build the recipe in your WW app if you make changes to it so you know the accurate point count.
- If you are attending a large get-together you can easily double this recipe so you have enough for everyone.
Similar recipes you’ll enjoy:
Chicken broccoli pasta salad
Ingredients
- 2 cups penne *weighed dry *
- 1.5 cups cooked shredded chicken
- 2 cups fresh broccoli
- 1 cup diced celery
- 1/2 cup diced red onion
- 1/3 cup sliced almonds
- 1/3 cup 0% plain greek yogurt
- 1/3 cup fat free sour cream
- 1/4 cup light mayonnaise
- 2 Tbsp dijon mustard
- 1 Tbsp Italian seasoning
- Dash of salt & pepper
Instructions
- Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Drain this pasta and place it in a large bowl.
- Cut the broccoli, celery, and red onion. Add the veggies, shredded chicken, and sliced almonds to the cooled pasta.
- In a small bowl, mix the yogurt, sour cream, mayonnaise, and mustard. Add in the seasonings and stir well.
- Gently fold the yogurt mixture into the pasta. Let it chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before serving. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Looks so good! How long would you say it keeps? Or would you suggest only adding dressing before serving? Thanks!
Adding the dressing before serving would be a good idea if you plan to prep it earlier, it should be good in the fridge for 3-4 days
Hi Natalie, it should last 3-4 days in the fridge in an air-tight container, you could just add the dressing as you go if you want.
So yummy! I had cherry tomatoes on hand so I sliced those and added instead of broccoli. Amazing! I had it warm and loved it!
Sounds awesome, so glad you enjoyed it 🙂
You’ve done it again!! Something so good and WW friendly is the way I described this pasta salad. Coming off the holidays, this was so awesome and light weight!! I know it’s more of a summertime salad but wow!!! Full of healthiness!! Heartfelt Thank-you!!
Thanks Helen, I’m so glad you enjoyed the salad, I love pasta salad all year long, it’s great for lunches 🙂