Dijon Chicken and Pasta Salad

About This Recipe

This Dijon Chicken and Pasta Salad combines chicken breasts, pasta, and a variety of fresh veggies, all tossed in a flavorful homemade vinaigrette. It's a nutritious, high-protein meal that's perfect for meal prep.

Ingredients

• 1.5 lbs boneless skinless chicken breast
• 2 tbsp dijon mustard
• 1 tbsp garlic powder
• salt and pepper to taste
• 8 oz pasta of choice
• 1 large cucumber
• 4 stalks celery
• 1 medium red bell pepper
• 1 small red onion
• 4 oz canned black olives
• 15.5 oz canned red kidney beans
• 6 tbsp olive oil
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 tbsp dijon mustard
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp dried basil
• ½ tsp red pepper flakes
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until it's al dente, according to the package instructions. Once it's cooked, drain the pasta and rinse under cold water to cool it down and stop the cooking process.
2. Preheat your oven or air fryer to 425°F (218℃).
3. Lay out the chicken breasts and season each side with salt, pepper, ½ tbsp of garlic powder, and 1 tbsp of dijon mustard. Rub the mustard and seasonings onto the surface of the chicken. Flip to the other side and repeat.
4. Air fry at 425°F (218℃) for 12-15 minutes. If you bake in the oven it will probably take a bit longer.
5. Wash and cut the celery, cucumber, and red pepper. Cut them all into a small to medium size dice. Remove the seeds from the cucumber with a spoon before dicing.
6. Cut the red onion into a small dice and rinse them under cold water to take the bite out of the raw onion. Pat dry with paper towel.
7. Combine all of the vegetables into a large bowl.
8. In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, red wine vinegar, minced garlic, dried oregano, dried basil, red pepper flakes, mustard and salt to create the dressing.
9. In the large bowl with the vegetables, add in the drained noodles, beans, and olives and pour the dressing over the top. Toss everything together to ensure it's well coated. Add the sliced chicken and give everything another good toss.
10. Taste test and season with salt and pepper to taste.
11. This recipe makes 5 servings. Divide the pasta salad evenly among 5 meal prep containers. They will last up to 5 days in the fridge.