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Southwest Chipotle Chicken Pasta Salad Recipe Easy and Flavorful with Black Beans

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A smoky, creamy, and fresh pasta salad featuring chipotle-spiced dressing, tender chicken, black beans, and fresh veggies. Perfect for quick meals, picnics, and potlucks.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 8 ounces small shell or rotini pasta
  • 2 cups cooked chicken, shredded or chopped (rotisserie chicken recommended)
  • 1 can (15 oz) black beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1 cup corn kernels, fresh or frozen and thawed
  • 1 small red bell pepper, diced
  • 1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped (optional)
  • 1 ripe avocado, diced
  • 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
  • 1 large avocado, peeled and pitted (for dressing)
  • 2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
  • 2 tablespoons adobo sauce
  • Juice of 2 limes (about 3 tablespoons)
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/4 cup Greek yogurt or sour cream
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Instructions

  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add 8 ounces of pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente, about 8–10 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water to stop cooking and cool the pasta. Set aside in a large bowl.
  2. In a food processor or blender, combine 1 ripe avocado, 2 chipotle peppers in adobo, 2 tablespoons adobo sauce, juice of 2 limes, 2 minced garlic cloves, 1/4 cup Greek yogurt, 1/4 cup olive oil, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, and salt and pepper to taste. Blend until smooth and creamy. Add water a teaspoon at a time if dressing is too thick.
  3. To the cooled pasta, add 2 cups cooked shredded chicken, 1 can black beans (rinsed and drained), 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved, 1 cup corn kernels, 1 diced red bell pepper, 1/4 cup finely chopped red onion, and 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro.
  4. Pour the chipotle-lime dressing over the pasta mixture. Gently fold in 1 diced ripe avocado to avoid mashing. Toss everything together until well combined and evenly coated.
  5. Cover and refrigerate the salad for at least 30 minutes before serving to let flavors meld and chill. Stir gently before serving.

Notes

Use firm black beans to avoid mushiness. Rinse pasta with cold water to stop cooking and prevent sticking. Add diced avocado just before serving to avoid browning. Adjust chipotle peppers for desired spice level. For dairy-free, substitute Greek yogurt with coconut or vegan yogurt or omit and add extra olive oil. Salad tastes better after chilling and is great for leftovers up to 3 days.

Nutrition

Keywords: chipotle chicken pasta salad, southwest pasta salad, black bean pasta salad, chipotle lime dressing, easy pasta salad, summer salad, picnic recipe

Find it online: https://zorbmeal.com/southwest-chipotle-chicken-pasta-salad-recipe-easy-and-flavorful-with-black-beans/