Mango Chicken Pasta Salad

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This Mango Chicken Pasta Salad is a fresh and different way to enjoyed cold pasta this summer. It is a little different but bursting with flavor!

Tender chunks of chicken, crisp bell peppers mixed with pasta, and then coated in a delicious mango dressing. 

The dressing is easy to make in a blender or food processor, plus you can use fresh, frozen, canned mango or mango puree!

Chicken Pasta Salad with a Mango Dressing

This is such an easy summer pasta salad! Perfect for eating for dinner on a warm night, taking to work for lunch, or taking to potlucks, backyard parties, and gatherings.

It is straightforward to make and will keep for a couple of days in the refrigerator. 
It involves:

• cooked chicken
• cooked pasta
• chopped veggies
• an easy mango dressing

The Chicken

You can use any chicken you like for this recipe:

• Cook some fresh (try this easy poached chicken)
• Leftover chicken
• Rotisserie chicken
• Chopped cooked chicken from the chiller cabinet

The Pasta 

As pasta cools, it will start to harden slightly (a process known as retrogradation), so it is essential to cook the pasta for a minute or so longer than you would for hot pasta dishes. I tend to add about 90 seconds to the cooking time. The pasta will seem overcooked, but it returns to the perfect texture when cooled until cold water.

Also, the chilled temperature that pasta salad is served at can dull the flavors. So add more salt than usual to your pasta cooking water.

Best pasta for pasta salad

The type of pasta you use does matter. Pick a pasta shape with plenty of nooks and crannies; this way, the sauce coats it thoroughly, and each mouthful will be covered in the dressing. Farfalle (bowtie), Penne, Fusilli, Rotini, and macaroni work well. 

The veggies

I usually add salad onions, and red bell peppers to this mango chicken pasta salad, but these veggies also work well:

• Celery
• Peas
• Carrot
• Fresh Spinach
• Asparagus

The mango dressing

This dressing is so easy to make! You add all the ingredients into a blender or food processor and blitz it until you have a smooth sauce! 

Plus, you can use fresh, frozen, canned, or pureed mango for this easy dressing! 

The mango gets mixed with some mayonnaise, mustard, honey, vinegar, and some fresh cilantro/coriander. You can add some optional red pepper flakes as well.

How long can you keep pasta salad for

The dressing for this mango chicken pasta salad is mayo-based, so you want to keep any leftovers refrigerated and use the salad within 3 to 4.

Enjoy x

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5 from 1 vote

Mango Chicken Pasta Salad

This Mango Chicken Pasta Salad is a fresh and different way to enjoyed cold pasta this summer. It is a little different but bursting with flavor! Tender chunks of chicken, crisp bell peppers mixed with pasta, and then coated in a delicious mango dressing. Perfect for eating for dinner on a warm night, taking to work for lunch, or taking to potlucks, backyard parties, and gatherings.

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time10 mins

Total Time20 mins

Course: Main

Cuisine: American

Servings: 6

Calories: 427kcal

Author: Claire | Sprinkles and Sprouts

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Ingredients

US Customary - Grams

For the dressing

• 1 cup mango diced -see note 1
• ¼ cup mayonnaise
• 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• ¼ cup fresh cilantro/coriander leaves
• salt and pepper

For the pasta salad

• ½ lb dried pasta -see note 2
• 1 red bell pepper
• 2 green onions
• 2 cups chopped/shredded cooked chicken -see note 3
• salt
• pepper
• red pepper flakes optional

Instructions

To make the dressing

• Place all of the ingredients in a blender or small food processor and blitz to combine.

  1 cup diced mango
  ¼ cup mayonnaise
  2 tbsp Dijon Mustard
  1 tbsp honey
  1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  ¼ cup fresh cilantro/coriander
  salt and pepper
  
  

To make the pasta salad

• Cook the pasta in well-salted water for 90 seconds more than the packet suggests.

  ½ lb/250g dried pasta
  
  
• Drain the pasta and cool it quickly under cold running water. Set to one side to drain thoroughly.
• Meanwhile, chop the red bell pepper into small chunks and thinly slice the green onion.

  1 red bell pepper
  2 green onions
  
  
• In a large bowl, combine the cooled pasta with the dressing, stir through the bell pepper, green onion, and chopped chicken.
• Taste and add salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes to taste.

Notes

1. You can use fresh, frozen, canned, or pureed mango for this recipe; note that if you are using mango puree, you will only need ½ cup.
2. Pick a pasta shape with plenty of nooks and crannies; this way, the sauce coats it thoroughly, and each mouthful will be covered in the dressing. Farfalle (bowtie), Penne, Fusilli, Rotini, and macaroni work well.
3. For the chopped cooked chicken:  
   • Cook some fresh (try this easy poached chicken)
   • Leftover chicken
   • Rotisserie chicken
   • Chopped cooked chicken from the chiller cabinet

Nutrition

Calories: 427kcal | Carbohydrates: 62g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 44mg | Sodium: 155mg | Potassium: 273mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 26g | Vitamin A: 4876IU | Vitamin C: 33mg | Calcium: 44mg | Iron: 3mg

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