This chicken pasta salad is the perfect summer dish for gatherings, family dinners, barbecues, and picnics. It features a classic German-inspired pasta salad (Nudelsalat) paired with Middle Eastern-inspired sumac chicken. Tangy, creamy, and full of flavor – let me show you how to make it.
Contents
Ingredients
For the first component, the pasta salad, we’ll need:
- Pasta: Preferably a small-shaped pasta as they hold the dressing well and mix easily with the ingredients.
- Peas: Fresh or frozen.
- Corn or red bell pepper: This salad typically contains corn or red bell pepper. Bell pepper adds a fresh crunch, while corn brings a touch of sweetness. Choose based on whether you want more freshness or more sweetness in your dish.
- Pickles: Pickles add a tangy kick. Use the classic kind pickled in vinegar.
- Dressing: A tang of pickle juice, mayonnaise (Dijon mayonnaise or regular), salt and pepper.
- Fresh mint
And for the second component, the sumac chicken, we’ll need:
- Chicken breast: Without bones and skin.
- Sumac: Sumac is a deep red Middle Eastern spice, often used in salads, marinades and chicken dishes. It has a tangy, lemony flavor and brings a hint of acidity and brightness.
- Olive oil
- Lemon
- Salt
Note: Quantities can be found in the recipe card at the end of this recipe and can be adjusted according to the amount of servings you’d like to make.
Pasta Salad with Sumac Chicken (Step-by-Step Recipe)
Ready to get cooking? Let’s get started! You’ll find the detailed step-by-step instructions below. For a shorter version (to print out), simply scroll down to the recipe card.
Step 1: Cook the pasta
We’ll start off by cooking the pasta. Add plenty of hot water along with some salt to a large saucepan and bring to a boil. Once it’s boiling, add the pasta and cook it according to the package instructions. We want the pasta al dente, so it holds up well in the salad. Once the pasta is done, drain it and leave it to cool completely. That’s important so the dressing doesn’t soak in too fast which would turn everything mushy later.
Step 2: Cook the chicken
Meanwhile, let’s cook the chicken breasts, which is the second main component for this pasta salad. Grab another large saucepan, add plenty of hot water. Place the chicken in the water, along with a little salt. Skim off any white residues inbetween. Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium and cook for about 20 minutes until the chicken is completely cooked through. You can check this by cutting into one of the thicker pieces, it should be white all the way through, not pink. Once the chicken is ready, remove it from the saucepan and set aside to cool.
Step 3: Chop the ingredients
While the pasta and chicken are cooling, let’s prepare the remaining ingredients for our pasta salad.
First, grab a few pickles. I like using the jarred kind with a tangy brine. Cut off the ends, then slice them into thin strips or small cubes, whatever texture you prefer.
Set aside some of the pickle brine, we’re using some of that in our dressing later on.
For the chicken, squeeze a fresh lemon. We’ll only need a little bit, but trust me, fresh lemon tastes much better than bottled lemon juice. Set aside for now, we’ll be using it for the chicken later on.
Now’s also a good time to prepare any other vegetables that you might want to add. I like to add peas, either fresh or frozen, that’s up to you. If using frozen peas, be sure to thaw them beforehand. Then, you can add some corn or finely diced bell peppers – that’s up to you.
Step 4: Shred and marinate the chicken
Now that the chicken has cooled, it’s time to shred it. Use two forks or just your hands to pull the meat apart into fine pieces. You want the chicken to be nice and easy to mix into the salad later. Pulling it apart by hand gives it a better texture than cutting it with a knife.
This chicken pasta dish has two parts: pasta with veggies in a creamy dressing, topped with flavorful sumac chicken. We’ll prepare each component separately to maximize flavor, but don’t worry, both are quick and easy to put together.
Once you’ve shredded all of your chicken, add it to a bowl. For the chicken marinade, add olive oil, the freshly squeezed lemon juice, salt and sumac. Mix well using your hands or a spoon so that the chicken is evenly coated in the marinade. Sumac gives your chicken that beautiful tangy and slightly citrusy flavor, which makes this salad so special.
Set aside while we wrap up the dressing for the pasta salad.
Step 5: Prepare the salad dressing
Let’s make the dressing. In a large bowl, add some good quality mayonnaise like Dijon mayonnaise (which is mayonnaise with Dijon mustard, which you can mimic with regular mayonnaise and mustard). Add some of the reserved pickle brine, salt and pepper. Whisk that together until it’s smooth and creamy. The pickle brine adds a great tang that balances out the richness of the mayo. It’s kind of like a shortcut vinaigrette.
Step 6: Mix all ingredients with the dressing
Now it’s time to bring everything together. The pasta should have fully cooled by now. Add the cooled pasta to the bowl with the dressing. Add peas, corn and chopped pickles. Mix everything really well until the pasta is evenly coated.
Now, don’t rush to serve it just yet. For the best flavor and texture, cover the salad and let it sit in the fridge for at least 1 hour, or even overnight. This gives the dressing time to soak into the pasta and really tie everything together.
Let the sumac chicken sit separately in the fridge too, just to keep all the components fresh and flavorful until you’re ready to plate.
Step 7: Garnish and serve
When you’re ready to serve, you can either mix the sumac chicken directly into the salad or layer it on top – that’s totally up to you.
Right before serving, finely chop some fresh mint and fold it in gently. You want to do this last so the mint stays bright and doesn’t wilt or darken.
Last but not least, you can elevate the dish by garnishing with some pomegranate seeds for a pop of color and sweetness, or toast some pine nuts or chopped walnuts in a dry pan for a delicious crunch.
And that’s it your pasta salad with sumac chicken is ready! Perfect for barbecues, summer lunches and gatherings. Enjoy!
Serving Suggestions
This chicken pasta salad is a perfect summer dish, for as a barbecue side dish, picnics, gatherings or family dinners. Serve chilled and top with some pomegranate seeds or toasted nuts for a crunchy finish.
Looking for a pasta salad without mayonnaise? Check out my vegetarian Mediterranean pasta salad. For more salad ideas, head over to my collection of Middle Eastern salad recipes.
Make Ahead & Storage
This salad is perfect for making ahead as it needs at least an hour in the fridge for the pasta to absorb the flavor of the dressing. Prepare it up to a day in advance and store it in an airtight container in the fridge. It stays fresh for up to 2 days. If making ahead of time, store the pasta salad and the chicken separately and mix or layer when serving.
Learn Middle Eastern Cooking
Are you a new to Middle Eastern cuisine? Then this Middle Eastern cookbook is what you need! In addition to a varied choice of recipes, the cookbook offers plenty of insights on ingredients, cooking techniques and Middle Eastern food culture.
Pasta Salad with Sumac Chicken
Ingredients
Pasta Salad
- 250 g (4 cups) pasta
- 100 g (3/4 cups) peas
- 50 g (1/3 cups) corn canned
- 4 pickles
- 75 ml (1/3 cups) pickle water
- 4 Tbsp mayonnaise Dijon or regular
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp pepper
- 4-6 leaves mint
Sumac Chicken
- 450 g (1 lb) chicken breast
- 3 tsp sumac
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 Tbsp lemon freshly squeezed
- ¾ tsp salt
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and let cool completely.
- Place the whole chicken breasts in a pot, cover with water, and lightly salt. Bring to a boil, then simmer for about 20 minutes until fully cooked. Remove and let cool slightly.
- Once cooled, shred the chicken into fine pieces using two forks or your hands.
- Transfer the shredded chicken to a bowl. Squeeze a lemon and add the juice along with olive oil, sumac and salt. Mix well and let it marinate so the flavors can develop.
- Remove the pickles from the jar. Slice the pickles into thin strips or finely dice them. Reserve the pickle brine, it will be used for the dressing. +
- In a bowl, mix the pickle brine with mayonnaise, salt and pepper until it becomes a creamy dressing.
- Add the pasta, peas, corn and pickles to the bowl with the dressing and mix thoroughly. Let both the salad and the chicken rest separately for at least 1 hour, preferably overnight.
- Finely chop fresh mint leaves and mix with the pasta salad last to preserve their fresh aroma.
- To serve, either mix the sumac chicken into the salad or layer it on top, depending on your preference.
- Optional: Garnish with pomegranate seeds or toast pine nuts or chopped walnuts in a dry pan (no oil) and add them for extra crunch.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is only a rough estimate and may vary depending on factors such as the cooking method, exact weight, type, and brand of ingredients used.
