Lunch · 20 min · italian

Creamy Italian Chicken Pasta Salad

Italian flavors, weeknight effort. Penne meets chicken breast in a 20-minute lunch worth keeping in rotation. It is weeknight cooking that still hits your targets — 39 grams of protein per serving. Leftovers keep well, so it doubles as next-day lunch without any extra work.

✓ USDA-verified nutrition data

Ingredients

• 12 oz Penne
• 1 lb Chicken breast
• 8 oz Mozzarella pearls
• 1/2 cup Mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup Italian dressing
• 1 Cucumber
• 1/2 Red onion
• 1 cup Cherry tomatoes
• 1/4 cup Parsley

Steps

1. Poach the chicken in salted simmering water 12 minutes until just cooked; shred while warm.
2. Boil the penne al dente and rinse cold.
3. Whisk the mayonnaise and Italian dressing into a creamy, tangy coat.
4. Toss the pasta, chicken, mozzarella pearls, diced cucumber, onion, and tomatoes.
5. Dress thoroughly — every piece should glisten.
6. Chill at least 30 minutes; pasta salad is always better cold.
7. Shower with parsley before serving.

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