Mexican Chicken Pasta Salad
This zesty Mexican Chicken Pasta Salad is loaded with veggies, high in protein, and bursting with flavor—perfect for meal prep, parties, or road trips!

This [Mexican Chicken Pasta Salad] tastes like a Chipotle Bowl!
Kambria (Our Daughter’s friend)
Mexican Chicken Pasta Salad
We recently escaped to sunny Florida for a much-needed family vacay—but cue the dramatic music—our oldest daughter couldn’t come. She had back-to-back rodeos and was out there living her dream, cowgirl boots and all. So, we brought a friend of our middle kiddo instead, and while we seriously missed Addison, we still had an amazing time.
Knowing our days would be packed with beach time, roller coasters, and chaos, I knew healthy food wouldn’t just fall from the sky. So I prepped a big ol’ bowl of my Mexican Chicken Pasta Salad before we left. I figured it’d get us through a few lunches, no problem. Ha! It was gone in no time. Kambria, our little guest star, inhaled it and said it tasted just like a Chipotle bowl. And honestly? That’s a huge win—because let’s face it, Chipotle is basically a food group for kids these days.
This Mexican Chicken Pasta Salad has quickly become a go-to in our house, and not just for road trips or beach getaways. It’s fresh, zesty, filling, and seriously addictive.
Here’s why I love this Mexican Chicken Pasta Salad:
- It’s absolutely loaded with veggies—colorful bell peppers, corn, green onion, and fresh cilantro bring all the flavor and crunch.
- Each serving of Mexican Chicken Pasta Salad clocks in at under 400 calories and serves up 6 grams of fiber, so it’s super satisfying without weighing you down.
- It’s high in protein thanks to the seasoned grilled chicken, which helps me hit my daily protein goals without eating plain chicken breast on repeat.
- The flavors are straight-up delicious. Smoky, creamy, tangy, with a little heat—every bite of this Mexican Chicken Pasta Salad is better than the last.
- I toss in arugula for a peppery bite and a little cancer-fighting bonus—it’s my favorite leafy green and adds just the right freshness.
We’ve made this Mexican Chicken Pasta Salad so many times now that it’s basically become a personality trait. It travels well, feeds a crowd, and honestly gets better after a day in the fridge. Whether you’re heading to the beach, planning a picnic, or just need lunch ready for the week, this dish checks all the boxes.
If you’re looking for other easy, healthy, and flavor-packed meal prep recipes, you’ve got to try this High-Protein Tex Mex Chicken Pasta Salad. It’s full of zesty chicken, fresh veggies, and Greek Yogurt Ranch Dressing making it perfect for meal prep!
Have fun making this recipe. Drop me a comment if you make it and loved it! Or let me know if you have any feedback for me. Can’t wait to hear from you.
Visual Process for Making Mexican Chicken Pasta Salad
Step 1
Prepare The Chicken
Butterfly your chicken breasts and then coat them in delicious seasonings. I’m talking chili powder, garlic powder and paprika for real depth of flavor.
Step 2
Blister Corn
Cook the frozen corn in a hot cast iron skillet with a bit of olive oil. You want a few black marks on them.
Step 3
Combine the Ingredients
Chop up all of the delicious vegetables and seasoned chicken breast and then combine them with cooked pasta, arugula and cilantro.
Step 4
Add Sauce
Add the dressing, sauce whatever you want to call it to the bowl and stir until its all combined. Store in the refigerator until you are ready to eat it.
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Mexican Chicken Pasta Salad
Ingredients
For the chicken:
- 1½ pounds chicken breasts
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- salt & pepper (to taste)
For the corn:
- 1 cup frozen corn
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
For the pasta salad:
- 2 cups protein pasta (cooked according to package directions and then rinsed in cold water)
- 1 red bell pepper (diced)
- 2 jalapeños (small, finely chopped (remove seeds if you want less heat))
- 2 green onions
- ½ cup fresh cilantro (chopped)
- 1 cup arugula
For the dressing:
- 4 oz cream cheese (softened, room temp)
- ⅓ cup parmesan (grated)
- ¼ cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce
- salt & pepper (to taste)
Instructions
Prepare the chicken:
- Place a large skillet (cast iron or stainless steel is best) over medium-high heat. Let it get nice and hot—like, "shimmering oil" hot.
- Cut 1½ pounds chicken breasts in half horizontally.
- Season both sides of the chicken breasts generously with 1 teaspoon chili powder, 1 teaspoon paprika, ½ teaspoon garlic powder and salt & pepper.
- Swirl in 1–2 tablespoons of oil in the hot skillet. Let it heat for 30 seconds. Place chicken breasts in the pan smooth side down. Don’t overcrowd—do it in batches if needed. Don’t move them for the first 4–5 minutes! Let that golden crust form. Once the bottom is gorgeously golden, flip 'em and reduce heat to medium. Cook another 4–6 minutes, depending on thickness. Use a meat thermometer—you're aiming for 165°F (74°C) in the thickest part. Or cut into one—no pink juices! Transfer to a plate and let the chicken rest for 5 minutes before slicing. Juices will redistribute and the chicken will stay super moist.
Cook the corn:
- Add 1 teaspoon olive oil to a cast iron skillet and heat over medium-high heat. Add 1 cup frozen corn and sauté until golden and blistered. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
Prepare everything else:
- Cook 2 cups protein pasta al dente. Rinse briefly under cold water to stop the cooking and cool the pasta.
- Dice 1 red bell pepper and 2 jalapeños (remove seeds and stems for less heat). Chop 2 green onions and ½ cup fresh cilantro. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, mash together 4 oz cream cheese, ⅓ cup parmesan, ¼ cup plain Greek yogurt, 1 tablespoon lime juice, 1 teaspoon chili powder, ½ teaspoon cumin, 1 teaspoon hot sauce and salt & pepper.
- In a large bowl, toss together pasta, corn, chopped veggies, grilled chicken, and 1 cup arugula. Add the sauce. Stir until everything’s well coated and deliciously messy
- Taste and adjust seasoning—maybe an extra squeeze of lime or pinch of salt. The flavors get better as it sits covered in the refrigerator.