BBQ Chicken Pasta Salad
This pasta salad is a summer staple in our house! I love the combination of flavors and textures in this recipe. I recommend low-sugar BBQ sauce options from Primal Kitchen or The New Primal!
The variety of veggies and fibers in this recipe help feed the beneficial bacteria residing in your microbiome. Looking for more information on what you should be eating throughout the day and why? Check out this podcast episode!
Ingredients:
1 16-ounce box of pasta
1 chicken breast
1 can of black beans, drained and rinsed
2 cups of romaine, chopped
½ red onion, diced
1 cup of cherry tomatoes, halved
¼ cup BBQ Sauce, more as needed
¼ cup ranch dressing
1 Tbsp olive oil
2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
Optional: cubed avocado for serving
Instructions:
Bring a pot of water to a boil and cook the pasta according to the package. Drain the pasta and toss it with olive oil to prevent it from sticking together while cooling.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Place chicken breast on a greased baking sheet and season with salt. Brush both sides of the chicken breast with 1-2 tablespoons of BBQ Sauce. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until cooked thoroughly.
Cube the cooked chicken, then toss with more BBQ sauce so that it is well-coated.
Once the pasta is cooled, add all of the salad ingredients and chicken to a large bowl.
Drizzle with ranch dressing, mixing well to coat the mixture.
Store the mixture in the fridge, it’s best served cold. Enjoy!
Recipe by
Rachel Heintz, MS, RDN
Rachel is a registered dietitian with years of clinical experience and Lead Practitioner of The Funk’tional Nutritionist. As an IFM Certified Practitioner and a graduate of Erin’s Funk’tional Nutrition Academy, Rachel is well aligned with our philosophy. If you get the opportunity to work with Rachel, you will see why we are honored to have her on the team!
