Tender pasta, crispy chicken, sweet peas, and homemade ranch dressing create a refreshing, crowd-pleasing salad.
# Ingredient list:
→ Pasta & Vegetables
01 - 9 oz short pasta (rotini or penne)
02 - 1 cup frozen peas, thawed
03 - 1 small red bell pepper, diced
04 - 2 green onions, sliced
→ Crispy Chicken
05 - 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
06 - ½ cup all-purpose flour
07 - 2 large eggs
08 - 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
09 - ½ teaspoon garlic powder
10 - ½ teaspoon paprika
11 - ¼ teaspoon salt
12 - ¼ teaspoon black pepper
13 - Vegetable oil for frying
→ Ranch Dressing
14 - ½ cup mayonnaise
15 - ¼ cup sour cream
16 - ¼ cup buttermilk
17 - 1 tablespoon fresh dill, chopped or 1 teaspoon dried
18 - 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
19 - 1 teaspoon garlic powder
20 - 1 teaspoon onion powder
21 - ½ teaspoon salt
22 - ¼ teaspoon black pepper
23 - 1 teaspoon lemon juice
# How to Make It:
01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add pasta and cook according to package instructions. Drain thoroughly, rinse with cold water, and set aside to cool.
02 - While pasta cooks, slice chicken breasts into bite-sized pieces approximately 1 to 1.5 inches.
03 - Place flour in one shallow bowl. Beat eggs in a second shallow bowl. Combine panko breadcrumbs, garlic powder, paprika, salt, and black pepper in a third shallow bowl.
04 - Coat each chicken piece in flour, shaking off excess. Dip into beaten egg, then coat thoroughly in panko mixture, pressing gently to adhere.
05 - Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Fry chicken in batches for 3 to 4 minutes per side until golden brown and cooked through. Transfer to paper towels to drain.
06 - In a large mixing bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, sour cream, buttermilk, dill, parsley, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, black pepper, and lemon juice until smooth and well combined.
07 - Add cooled pasta, thawed peas, diced bell pepper, and sliced green onions to the bowl with ranch dressing. Toss gently until all components are evenly coated.
08 - Gently fold in crispy chicken pieces just before serving to preserve crunchiness and texture.
09 - Serve immediately while chicken retains crispness, or refrigerate for 30 minutes for a chilled version.
