Description
This creamy lemon chicken pasta salad is a quick and easy recipe perfect for a refreshing lunch. It combines tender cooked chicken, al dente pasta, and sweet peas with a zesty lemon dressing made from creme fraiche and mayonnaise, finished with fresh herbs for vibrant flavor.
Ingredients
Salad
- 350g cooked chicken, chopped into bite-sized pieces
- 225g dried pasta shapes
- 1 cup frozen peas
- Small bunch chopped herbs (flat leaf parsley, basil, dill, or chives)
Dressing
- 2 tablespoons creme fraiche
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 1 lemon – zest and juice
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Cook pasta and peas: Cook the pasta and frozen peas together in boiling salted water according to the pasta packet instructions to save on washing up. Once cooked, drain and rinse under cold running water to quickly cool them for the salad.
- Prepare chicken: Roughly chop the cooked chicken into bite-sized pieces and set aside.
- Make lemon dressing: In a small bowl, mix together the creme fraiche, mayonnaise, lemon juice, lemon zest, and season with salt and black pepper to taste.
- Combine salad: In a large mixing bowl, add half of the lemon dressing, then the cooked pasta and chicken. Top with the remaining dressing and gently toss everything together to coat all ingredients evenly.
- Serve: Transfer the pasta salad into a serving bowl, scatter with the chopped fresh herbs, and serve immediately or chilled.
Notes
- You can swap the cooked chicken for rotisserie chicken or leftover roast chicken for convenience.
- Use your favorite pasta shapes like fusilli or penne for best texture.
- For a lighter version, substitute mayonnaise with Greek yogurt.
- This salad can be made in advance and refrigerated for up to 24 hours; add fresh herbs right before serving for maximum freshness.
- Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper to taste, especially depending on the saltiness of your chicken and mayonnaise.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Western
