Tender pasta with crispy chicken, fresh peas, and creamy ranch dressing. Perfect for picnics, potlucks, or quick lunches.
# What You Need:
→ 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:
01 - Bring salted water to boil in a large pot. Add short pasta and cook according to package directions. Drain thoroughly, rinse with cold water, and set aside.
02 - While pasta cooks, slice boneless chicken breasts into bite-sized pieces.
03 - Arrange three shallow bowls: one with all-purpose flour, one with beaten eggs, and one with panko breadcrumbs mixed with garlic powder, paprika, salt, and black pepper.
04 - Dredge each chicken piece in flour, shaking off excess, then dip into egg, and finally coat thoroughly in the panko mixture.
05 - Heat vegetable oil in a skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Fry chicken pieces in batches for 3 to 4 minutes per side until golden brown and cooked through. Drain on paper towels.
06 - In a large mixing bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, sour cream, buttermilk, fresh dill, parsley, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, black pepper, and lemon juice until smooth.
07 - Add cooked pasta, thawed peas, diced bell pepper, and sliced green onions to the bowl with ranch dressing. Toss gently to coat all ingredients evenly.
08 - Gently fold crispy chicken pieces into the pasta salad just before serving to preserve the crispy coating.
09 - Serve the salad immediately while warm, or refrigerate for 30 minutes for a chilled version.
