Everything Bagel Chicken Pasta (Printable Version)

A tasty cold pasta salad featuring chicken, fresh vegetables, and creamy everything bagel dressing.

# What You Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 9 oz (255 g) short pasta (rotini, penne, or fusilli)

→ Chicken

02 - 10 oz (300 g) cooked chicken breasts, shredded or diced

→ Vegetables

03 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
04 - 1/2 cup cucumber, diced
05 - 1/4 cup red onion, finely diced
06 - 1/2 cup celery, thinly sliced
07 - 1/4 cup scallions, thinly sliced

→ Dressing

08 - 1/2 cup (120 g) mayonnaise
09 - 1/4 cup (60 g) plain Greek yogurt
10 - 1 tbsp lemon juice
11 - 2 tsp Dijon mustard
12 - 1 tbsp everything bagel seasoning, plus extra for garnish
13 - Salt and black pepper, to taste

→ Optional Add-Ins

14 - 1/4 cup (50 g) crumbled feta or cream cheese cubes
15 - 1 tbsp chopped fresh dill

# Steps:

01 - Boil pasta in salted water according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and rinse under cold water to cool.
02 - In a large bowl, mix cooked pasta, shredded 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 pepper.
04 - Pour dressing over pasta mixture and toss to coat evenly.
05 - Gently fold in feta or cream cheese cubes and fresh dill if using.
06 - Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to meld flavors.
07 - Sprinkle additional everything bagel seasoning over the salad before serving.

# Expert Pointers:

01 -
  • Everything bagel seasoning transforms a simple pasta salad into something craveable and unexpectedly sophisticated.
  • It's proof that cold salads can be just as satisfying as a warm meal, especially when the dressing is creamy and the vegetables stay crisp.
  • You can make it ahead, toss it together for potlucks, and people always ask for the recipe.
02 -
  • Don't skip the step of rinsing the pasta under cold water or it'll turn to mush, especially if you're making this ahead.
  • Taste the dressing on a piece of pasta before you pour it all in; the bagel seasoning's saltiness varies by brand, and you can adjust more easily now than later.
  • If this sits for a day or two, the pasta absorbs more dressing, so you might want to thin it out with a tiny splash of lemon juice or yogurt before serving.
03 -
  • Use a rotisserie chicken from the store and a good-quality everything bagel seasoning, and you've basically shortcut your way to restaurant-quality flavor.
  • Don't dress the salad until you're ready to serve it if you're making it more than a few hours ahead; the pasta absorbs too much dressing and the vegetables get soggy.
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