This quick chicken pasta salad has a light and garden-fresh dressing made with buttermilk and fresh oregano. Roasted red bell pepper adds a touch of sweetness that contrasts well with the rest of the salad.
For more fresh oregano recipes, check out this easy lemon artichoke pesto and this creamy 5-minute oregano sauce.
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Ingredients:
For the salad:
For the dressing:
How to make it (overview with photos):
1. Slice the bell pepper and pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Transfer both to a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil, sprinkle with salt and pepper and drizzle with a few drops of olive oil. Broil until the chicken is cooked and the pepper lightly charred (10 – 15 minutes). Let cool.
2. Cook the pasta shells, drain, then rinse under cold water.
3. Steam the broccoli.
4. Whisk together all dressing ingredients.
How to serve it:
Shred the chicken with two forks, then mix all salad ingredients together. Mix in the dressing right before serving.
Recipe notes, tips and questions:
Unfortunately, no. Once the dressing and the salad ingredients are mixed, you will want to eat them. Storing the dressed salad in the fridge will dry it out and cause the dressing to lose its flavor.
Yes. Simply store the cooked salad ingredients and the dressing (without oregano) in separate airtight containers in the fridge. Let all components come up to room temperature before serving and chop and add the oregano to the dressing right before serving.
Definitely! The dressing is great on green salad with grilled shrimp. And it’s fantastic as a dipping sauce for raw carrots, chicken wings and fish sticks!
More delicious salads:
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Full Printable Recipe
Chicken Pasta Salad with Buttermilk Oregano Dressing
Ingredients
For the salad:
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut lengthwise into ~ ¾ inch thickness
- 1 red bell pepper
- 12 small broccoli florets
- 2 cups medium-sized pasta shells, uncooked
For the dressing:
- 6 tablespoons sour cream
- ½ cup buttermilk
- 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 3 garlic cloves, minced or pressed through a garlic press
- ½ teaspoon lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ tablespoons finely chopped fresh oregano (you need about five 6-inch sprigs with fully grown leaves or an equivalent amount for that)
Instructions
For the salad:
- Thinly slice the bell pepper, set aside.
- Position a rack in the upper third of the oven and turn on the broiler. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and set aside.
- Pat the chicken dry with paper towels, then sprinkle the chicken and the bell pepper with salt and pepper. Transfer both to the baking sheet and drizzle with a few drops of olive oil. Set the baking sheet on the upper oven rack and broil until the chicken is cooked and the pepper lightly charred (10 – 15 minutes). Check on the pepper a few times to make sure it doesn't burn. Let cool.
- Meanwhile, cook the pasta shells, then drain and rinse under cold water. Set aside.
- Steam the broccoli florets in a steamer basket to desired doneness. Set aside.
For the dressing:
- Whisk all ingredients together.
- Shred the chicken with two forks, then toss all salad ingredients together.
- Mix in the dressing right before serving.*
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