Everything Bagel Chicken Pasta (Printer-friendly)

Chilled pasta tossed with chicken, fresh vegetables, and a flavorful everything bagel dressing.

# Required Ingredients:

→ Pasta

01 - 9 ounces short pasta (rotini, penne, or fusilli)

→ Chicken

02 - 2 cooked chicken breasts, shredded or diced (10 ounces)

→ Vegetables

03 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
04 - ½ cup cucumber, diced
05 - ¼ cup red onion, finely diced
06 - ½ cup celery, thinly sliced
07 - ¼ cup scallions, thinly sliced

→ Dressing

08 - ½ cup mayonnaise (120 grams)
09 - ¼ cup plain Greek yogurt (60 grams)
10 - 1 tablespoon lemon juice
11 - 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
12 - 1 tablespoon everything bagel seasoning, plus extra for garnish
13 - Salt and black pepper, to taste

→ Optional Add-Ins

14 - ¼ cup crumbled feta or cream cheese cubes (50 grams)
15 - 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill

# How-To Steps:

01 - Boil salted water and cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain and rinse with cold water to cool.
02 - In a large bowl, mix cooked pasta, chicken, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, celery, and scallions.
03 - Whisk together mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, and everything bagel seasoning in a small bowl. Season with salt and black pepper.
04 - Pour dressing over the pasta mixture and toss to coat evenly.
05 - If desired, fold in feta or cream cheese cubes and chopped dill.
06 - Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to allow flavors to meld.
07 - Sprinkle additional everything bagel seasoning on top before serving.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It tastes like your favorite deli sandwich transformed into a fork-friendly bowl you can make ahead and grab anytime.
  • The everything bagel seasoning does all the flavor work so you dont need a dozen spices cluttering your counter.
  • Its sturdy enough to sit in the fridge for days and actually gets better as the dressing soaks in.
02 -
  • Rinsing the pasta under cold water is not optional, skipping this step will leave you with a warm sticky mess that refuses to mix with the dressing.
  • If you make this a day ahead, reserve a spoonful of dressing to stir in before serving because pasta absorbs moisture as it sits.
  • Dont skip the chilling time, the salad tastes bland and one-dimensional when its served immediately after mixing.
03 -
  • Toast your everything bagel seasoning in a dry pan for thirty seconds before adding it to the dressing, it unlocks deeper flavor and makes the sesame seeds even more fragrant.
  • If your red onion tastes too sharp, soak the diced pieces in cold water for five minutes before adding them to the salad.
  • Always taste the dressing before you toss it with the pasta, because different brands of seasoning vary in saltiness and you might need to adjust.
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