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    Home > Meal Type > Lunches

    Peri Peri Chicken Pasta Salad

    Updated: Jun 22nd 2021 โ€ข Published: Jun 7th 2019 โ€ข 8 Comments

    Jump to Recipe SaveSaved! Pin Recipe
    5 from 3 votes
    close up on a fluted silver spoon in a bowl of chicken pasta salad with text at the top
    overhead of a bowl of pasta salad with text at the top

    This Creamy Peri Peri Chicken Pasta Salad is the perfect recipe for your next pot luck or summer BBQ.

    Everyone loves a good pasta salad and this is creamy with a hint of spice, full of flavor and can be made ahead of time. The macaroni is tossed with a wonderful peri peri mayonnaise dressing then topped with a succulent juicy blackened chicken.

    So easy to put together this chicken pasta salad is sure to be a hit!

    a silver serving spoon scooping up peri peri chicken pasta salad

    Check out the table of contents below for quick jump links to the questions and tricks for this Peri-peri Chicken Pasta Salad.
    Or to just jump straight to the recipe for the pasta salad, you can use the purple steaming pot button over to the left or the link in the content box below. But after checking out the recipe come back up here and read the hints and tricks in the post, they help you to cook this dish perfectly, plus there are some drool worthy pictures!

    Quickly Jump to:

    • Top Tips for Making the Best Pasta Salad
    • How to Marinade the Chicken
    • Whatโ€™s the Best Pasta for Pasta Salad?
    • Can you Make Pasta Salad in Advance?
    • Making Pasta Salad with Mayo
    • Ideas for Serving Peri Peri Chicken Pasta Salad
    • Peri Peri Chicken Pasta Salad Recipe

    Top Tips for Making the Best Pasta Salad

    Cook your pasta for 1-2 minutes longer than the packet suggests - You want to cook the pasta for longer than the packet suggests. It wants to be softer than if you were serving it hot. This is because when pasta cools the starch goes through a process called retrogradation, this is where the starch molecules rearrange and it can give cooled pasta an undercooked bite. By cooking the pasta for longer it will seem too soft when hot, but as it cools it will return to the perfect al dente texture.

    Really season your pasta water - cold dishes need more seasoning than hot dishes as the flavors are dulled as the food cools. So add more salt to your pasta water than you normally would.

    a light blue table with a large white bowl of chicken pasta salad on it

    How to Marinade the Chicken

    The chicken in this pasta salad is marinaded with a mixture of orange and lemon juice and coated in a delicious mix of herbs and spices. This creates a great peri peri crust on the chicken when you grill it. If you have time, leave the chicken to marinate for 6 hours. But even 30 minutes in the marinade will add some great flavor to the chicken.

    The peri peri chicken can be cooked on the outdoor grill, under a broiler or on a griddle pan. It needs to be cooked on high heat to ensure it gets a smokey flavor and a crispy exterior, it won't need long to cook so be careful not to overcook it as you want the inside to stay juicy and succulent.

    Whatโ€™s the Best Pasta for Pasta Salad?

    Use a sturdy shape like a macaroni or a rotini, this is because you are going to stir the mayonnaise dressing through the pasta so you want a shape that is going to hold up well.
    I don't suggest using farfalle (bowtie) pasta as it is too easy for the cute edges to break off.

    Can you Make Pasta Salad in Advance?

    Yes, pasta salad can be made up to 2 days in advance. Ensure it is in an airtight container in the fridge and give it a stir before you serve it.

    close up showing the blackened peri peri chicken in the pasta salad

    Making Pasta Salad with Mayo

    The dressing for this chicken pasta salad is a mixture of mayonnaise, sour cream and cream cheese. This gives it a wonderful richness and amazing flavor.

    Try to use a whole egg mayonnaise for this dish, it really makes a difference to the taste of the finished dish. You can even try my recipe for homemade mayonnaise.

    For those trying to cut calories you can use reduced fat cream cheese and reduced fat sour cream, but don't go for low fat mayonnaise it just doesn't mix well together and affects the texture of the finished pasta salad, plus it often has a weird plastic taste to it. YUCK!

    Ideas for Serving Peri Peri Chicken Pasta Salad

    Serve this chicken pasta salad as part of a buffet at an outdoor party. Or divide it up into mason jars and take it on a picnic. Either way, a crisp green salad will work well.

    Wine: This peri peri chicken pasta salad is definitely a party dish - it works so well with a variety of drinks.
    Try serving it with a well chilled Vinho Verde, the light fresh wine works well with the spice and is perfect for a summer party.
    Alternatively, pasta salad works well with a chilled amber ale or a dry apple cider.

    a white rustic bowl filled with macaroni pasta salad

    For other delicious Peri Peri recipes try:

    • Oven Baked Peri Peri Chicken
    • Peri Peri Chicken Burger
    • Peri Peri Lamb Chops
    • Beef in Peri Peri
    • Peri Peri Fish and Charred Corn

    Enjoy x



    Pin this recipe for Peri Peri Chicken Pasta Salad. Pin it here.

    Get the Recipe

    a shallow white bowl of chicken pasta salad sat on a white napkin

    Peri Peri Chicken Pasta Salad Recipe

    Claire | Sprinkle and Sprouts
    This Creamy Peri Peri Chicken Pasta Salad is the perfect recipe for your next pot luck or summer BBQ. Everyone loves a good pasta salad and this is creamy with a hint of spice, full of flavor and can be made ahead of time. The macaroni is tossed with a wonderful peri peri mayonnaise dressing then topped with a succulent juicy blackened chicken. So easy to put together this chicken pasta salad is sure to be a hit!
    5 from 3 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 10 minutes mins
    Cook Time 10 minutes mins
    Optional Marinade Time 6 hours hrs
    Total Time 20 minutes mins
    Course Salad
    Cuisine South African
    Servings 8
    Calories 492 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    For the Spice Blend

    • 1 tablespoon sweet paprika
    • 2 teaspoon dried oregano
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
    • ยฝ teaspoon black pepper
    • ยฝ teaspoon red pepper flakes - more if you like it spicy

    For the Chicken

    • 2 garlic cloves
    • 1 lemon
    • 1 orange
    • 2 chicken breasts
    • ยผ cup olive oil

    For the Pasta

    • ยฝ cup mayonnaise
    • ยฝ cup sour cream
    • 2 tablespoon cream cheese (room temperature)
    • 1 lb dried macaroni
    • 1 red bell pepper
    • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley - to serve

    Instructions
     

    To make the Spice Blend

    • Mix the sweet paprika, oregano, salt, smoked paprika, black pepper, and red pepper flakes together in a small bowl. (Half is for the chicken half is for the dressing)

    To Marinade the Chicken

    • Spoon half of the spice mixture into a ziplock bag or lidded plastic container.
    • Crush in the garlic cloves and then add the juice and zest of half of the lemon and orange. (the other halves are for the dressing)
    • Pour in the olive oil, seal the bag and squish it all together until you have a thick paste.
    • Cut the chicken into small chunks and add it to the bag. Mix well together and set aside to marinate for at least 30 minutes and up to 6 hours.

    To make the Pasta Salad

    • Take the remaining spice blend and add the mayonnaise, sour cream, and cream cheese together with the juice of the half the lemon and orange. Stir well until smooth and then place in the fridge until needed.
    • Pre-heat your grill or griddle and once it is hot, cook the chicken pieces for 5-6 minutes until cooked through and charred. Set the chicken aside to cool slightly.
    • Bring a large pan of water to a boil, salt it generously and then cook the pasta for 2 minutes longer than the packet suggests.
    • Drain the pasta and rinse with cold water until cooled.
    • Whilst the pasta is cooling finely dice the red bell pepper.
    • Pour the mayonnaise mixture through the pasta.
    • Add in the bell pepper and the cooked chicken.
    • Serve garnished with parsley or refrigerate until needed.
    • Just be sure to bring it to room temperature before you serve it.
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

    Nutrition

    Calories: 492kcal | Carbohydrates: 48g | Protein: 21g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 54mg | Sodium: 476mg | Potassium: 466mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 1300IU | Vitamin C: 36.5mg | Calcium: 52mg | Iron: 1.5mg

    Nutrition is per serving

    For more great recipes follow me on PinterestFollow @sprinklessprout

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Ness says

      March 05, 2023 at 7:50 am

      5 stars
      Delicious meal! But I was wondering what kind of noodles did you use for the picture?

      Reply
      • Claire McEwen says

        March 08, 2023 at 2:19 pm

        Hi Ness,

        These were some straight macaroni. You could use an elbow macaroni or a mini penne, to replicate. But any small pasta would work.
        Hope that helps
        Cx

        Reply
    2. Dorothy Dunton says

      June 23, 2019 at 3:11 am

      Hi Claire! I love having a bowl of pasta salad on hand during the summer. I just get a bowl of it and call it a meal. The chicken in this makes it a complete meal. Would it offend you if I added some diced celery and roasted red pepper strips? I like the crunch of the celery and Nagi got me hooked on roasted red peppers!

      Reply
      • Claire McEwen says

        June 27, 2019 at 3:13 pm

        I think celery and roasted peppers sound like the perfect addition!!! The crunch and the sweetness would work so well with the smoky flavors ๐Ÿ˜€ Cx

        Reply
    3. wilhelmina says

      June 12, 2019 at 5:24 am

      5 stars
      This is so delicious! The flavors are spot on!

      Reply
      • Claire McEwen says

        June 18, 2019 at 9:13 am

        I am so happy you enjoyed it Wilhelmina ๐Ÿ˜€

        Reply
    4. Shiho says

      June 12, 2019 at 5:23 am

      5 stars
      This salad looks sensational! We have bring a plate BBQ this weekend. We have decided to cook and take this salad! Thank you for the delicious recipe ๐Ÿ˜€

      Reply
      • Claire McEwen says

        June 18, 2019 at 9:13 am

        Oh I do hope you and your friends enjoyed it ๐Ÿ˜€

        Reply

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    I'm Claire and I love food!
    I dream about food and I am happiest when I am in the kitchen cooking. Whether that is dinner for my family, snacks for drinks with my girlfriends or testing new recipes for my site, the kitchen is my happy place. Sprinkles and Sprouts is where I share it all and I am so happy you are here.

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