This high protein pasta salad is made for lunches, cookouts, and busy weeknights, with plenty of satisfying bites in every forkful!

This high protein pasta salad is exactly what I want in my fridge when lunch needs to taste fresh, creamy, tangy, crunchy, and meal-prep friendly without feeling like plain grilled chicken got lost at a salad bar.

It has tender chickpea pasta, juicy chicken, crisp cucumbers, sweet tomatoes, salty feta, buttery avocado, protein-rich edamame, and a cool herby dressing made with Greek yogurt and cottage cheese, so every forkful feels bright and filling without being heavy.

It is colorful, easy to make, and packed with real flavor, not the kind of “healthy lunch” that makes you stare into the fridge again 20 minutes later!

Ingredients

For Chicken

• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

For Pasta Salad

• 8 ounces dry chickpea pasta, rotini or penne works best
• 1 cup shelled edamame, thawed if frozen
• 1 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 1/2 cups Persian cucumber or English cucumber, chopped small
• 1 cup sweet bell pepper, chopped small
• 1/2 cup red onion, finely diced
• 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
• 1 medium avocado, diced
• 1/3 cup fresh parsley, chopped
• 2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped

For Creamy Herby Protein Dressing

• 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
• 1/2 cup cottage cheese
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 small garlic clove, grated or minced very finely
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 tablespoons fresh dill
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley
• 2 to 4 tablespoons cold water, only if needed to loosen dressing

Servings: 6 generous servings
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 20 to 22 minutes
Cooling Time: 15 to 20 minutes
Total Time: About 1 hour
Best Served: Cold or slightly chilled
Protein: About 34 to 38 grams per serving, depending on pasta and chicken brand

How To Make High Protein Pasta Salad 

Preheat oven to 400°F and line a small sheet pan with parchment paper.

Pat chicken dry with paper towels because wet chicken steams instead of roasting nicely, and we want juicy chicken with tasty edges, not a sad pale cutlet that looks like it gave up before lunch.

Rub chicken with olive oil, garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt, pepper, and lemon juice, then place it on the pan and roast for 18 to 22 minutes, depending on thickness, until chicken reaches 165°F in the thickest part.

If one breast is much thicker than another, give it a gentle pound with a rolling pin before seasoning so it cooks evenly.

Let chicken rest for 10 minutes before cutting, because slicing too early sends all those juices running across cutting board like they are late for a bus!

While chicken cooks, bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil and salt it well. Pasta salad is eaten cold, so pasta needs seasoning from inside out, not just from dressing later.

Add chickpea pasta and cook according to package directions, usually 7 to 9 minutes, but start checking 1 minute early because chickpea pasta can go from firm to crumbly if ignored.

You want pasta tender with a little bite in center.

During last 2 minutes of cooking, add edamame to same pot so it warms through without needing another pan, which means fewer dishes, and honestly, fewer dishes always deserve a round of applause!

Drain pasta and edamame, then rinse under cold water for 20 to 30 seconds to stop cooking and remove extra starch.

I know rinsing pasta sounds wrong if you grew up hearing pasta water is liquid gold, but for pasta salad, rinsing helps keep pieces separate and prevents gummy dressing.

Shake colander very well, then spread pasta on a clean towel or baking sheet for 5 minutes so extra water can evaporate. This little pause keeps dressing creamy instead of thin and slippery.

Add Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, olive oil, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, garlic, honey, salt, pepper, dill, and parsley to a blender or food processor, then blend until smooth and creamy.

Taste it before adding water. If it tastes bright, tangy, slightly salty, and fresh, you are right on track.

If it feels too thick, add cold water 1 tablespoon at a time until dressing drizzles slowly from spoon.

Do not make it runny because tomatoes and cucumber will release a bit of juice as salad chills.

Chop tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper, red onion, parsley, and dill while pasta cools. Pat cucumber pieces with a paper towel if they seem watery.

This sounds fussy, but it keeps salad from turning into soup by tomorrow.

Dice chicken into bite-size pieces, about 1/2 inch, so every forkful gets chicken instead of one giant chunk stealing attention like it paid rent.

In a large mixing bowl, add cooled pasta, edamame, chicken, tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper, red onion, feta, parsley, and dill.

Pour about three-fourths of dressing over everything, then gently toss with a big spoon until pasta looks glossy and coated.

Add remaining dressing only if needed. Pasta absorbs dressing as it chills, so I like saving a few tablespoons for serving later.

This is one of those tiny cook decisions that makes leftovers taste fresh instead of dry.

Cover and chill for 20 minutes before serving if you have time. That short rest lets lemon, herbs, garlic, feta, and chicken settle into each other beautifully.

Right before serving, fold in avocado gently so it keeps its shape. Taste once more and adjust with a pinch of salt, squeeze of lemon, or extra black pepper.

If flavor tastes a little flat, it usually needs acid or salt, not more dressing. Lemon wakes everything up fast!

My Best Tips For Perfect Pasta Salad

• Use short pasta shapes like rotini, penne, or shells because they catch dressing in all little curves and corners.
• Long noodles are lovely, but in pasta salad they can clump together and make eating feel like a fork wrestling match.
• Cook chickpea pasta just until tender, then rinse right away. Chickpea pasta is higher in protein, but it needs a gentle hand.
• Overcook it and it can break apart when tossed, which is not tragic, but it does make salad look less pretty.
• Blend cottage cheese into dressing instead of stirring it in. Blended cottage cheese turns silky and creamy, adding extra protein without leaving little curds everywhere.
• It is one of my favorite sneaky protein tricks, and no one needs to know unless you want to feel smug at lunch.
• Add avocado at the end. If you mix avocado too early, it softens into dressing and turns everything slightly green. Still tasty, but not exactly “look at this gorgeous lunch I made!” energy.

Serving Suggestions

Serve this high protein pasta salad chilled in shallow bowls with extra dill, cracked black pepper, and a small squeeze of lemon over top.

It is wonderful for meal prep, quick lunches, warm-weather dinners, backyard meals, potlucks, and those “I need real food but I do not want to cook again” nights.

For a fuller plate, serve it with grilled corn, watermelon wedges, toasted pita, garlic bread, or a simple green salad.

If you want even more protein, add a hard-boiled egg on side or a few extra spoonfuls of edamame. If serving for a party, keep avocado separate and fold it in right before putting bowl on table so it stays fresh and pretty.

This high protein pasta salad is creamy, colorful, fresh, and practical enough for busy weekdays while still tasting like something you would happily bring to a cookout and casually pretend was “no big deal.”