Dill Pickle Pasta Salad with Chicken

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Looking for an easy but delicious pasta salad recipe? Try this dill pickle pasta salad with chicken! It’s easy, tangy, and high-protein!

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Hey there, and welcome to Ironwild Fitness! I’m Chantal – a mom, certified personal trainer, nutrition coach, and the face behind this little corner of the internet.

I’m also the creator of the nutrition bundle designed to help you build healthy habits, master clean eating, and dial in on your mindset to achieve weight loss sustainably. It’s nice to “meet” you! 🙂

Welcome to my Easy Dill Pickle Pasta Salad Recipe!

If you’re a dill pickle lover like me, you’re going to be obsessed with this pasta salad. It’s creamy, tangy, packed with crunch, and has just the right amount of zing (thanks to those glorious pickles).

Oh, and did I mention there’s chicken in it, too? That means it totally counts as a full meal, right? 😄 It’s perfect for meal prep, potlucks, or just when you’re craving something a little different (but still easy). I personally made this recipe high-protein by making my chicken-to-pasta ratio higher, but it’s really easy to adjust the recipe to your liking…more on that later!

Dill Pickle Pasta Salad with Chicken Nutrition

Curious about this pasta salad’s nutrition? Here’s a quick breakdown of the nutritional benefits of this deliciously simple salad.

Grilled Chicken

Lean, protein-packed, and totally satisfying. Grilled chicken adds muscle-building power to this dish and helps keep you full longer. (Making this salad more of a meal than a side. Did I mention it’s the perfect meal prep?)

Dill Pickles

These briny bites bring bold flavor with basically no calories. They’re low in fat and carbs and, depending on the brand, can offer a little boost of electrolytes like sodium and potassium. Plus, fermented versions can give your gut some love in the form of probiotics.

Dill Weed

A fresh herb with a punch of flavor and barely any calories. Dill also has a few antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals, and is a fun way to add a garden-fresh vibe to your dish. I used dried dill weed for this recipe (it’s negligible calorically and nutritionally speaking in this quantity), but fresh dill works, too.

Rotini Pasta

Rotini noodles are a good source of carbohydrates, but I made this lower carb by using less than half of a box. Rotini gives you the energy to power through your day, and those twisty little noodles are perfect for holding onto all that creamy dressing. Go with whole wheat or protein-enriched pasta if you want a nutritional upgrade.

Sea Salt

Just a pinch goes a long way. Sea salt helps enhance flavor without overdoing it. It also contains trace minerals not found in regular table salt, but still, moderation is key!

Mayonnaise

Creamy and rich, mayo adds that classic pasta salad texture. While it’s higher in fat, it can also help you feel full and satisfied. Want to lighten it up? Try using an avocado oil-based or olive oil mayo. I have also found that plain Greek yogurt makes a good high-protein replacement. (It is delicious in my healthy deviled eggs recipe!)

Ranch Dressing

Tangy, creamy, and totally delish. Ranch adds major flavor, but it’s usually calorie-dense, so a little drizzle is all you need. (I used about a tablespoon for my whole recipe, but you do you, boo.) You can always opt for a homemade or lighter version to control what goes in.

Easy Ways to Tweak This Recipe

Want to make this Dill Pickle Pasta Salad with Chicken your own? Whether you’re looking to lighten it up or just mix things up a bit, here are some simple tweaks to try.

Make it Lighter

• Swap the mayo for plain Greek yogurt or a half-and-half mix to cut calories and add a protein boost.
• Use a light ranch dressing or make your own with Greek yogurt, herbs, and a splash of vinegar.
• Go for whole wheat or chickpea pasta to increase fiber and protein while keeping you fuller longer.

Change Up the Protein

• No grilled chicken? While nothing beats the flavor of grilled chicken, you can use rotisserie chicken for a quick shortcut or try canned tuna or chickpeas for a different twist. You could also use canned chicken breast!
• Want it vegetarian? Skip the meat and toss in some hard-boiled eggs or tofu for protein.

Add Some Crunch

• Toss in chopped celery, red onion, fresh chopped spinach, or shredded carrots for extra texture and nutrients.
• A handful of sunflower seeds or sliced almonds adds healthy fats and a little crunch factor.
• Add chopped bell peppers or fresh broccoli to ramp up the nutrition.

Switch Up the Flavor

• Add a dash of hot sauce, a sprinkle of smoked paprika, or a spoonful of Dijon mustard to spice things up.
• Try different pickles, like spicy or bread & butter, for a fun flavor twist. My husband loves Wickle’s Pickles for their unique spicy/tangy flavor!

Dill Pickle Pasta Salad with Chicken Recipe

Ingredients:

• 2-3 grilled chicken breasts (depending on your protein goals)
• 1/2-1 box of Rotini pasta (I used less to keep it lower carb)
• 1-2 Tablespoons of ranch dressing. I had Hidden Valley, so that’s what I used! (I prefer Toby’s, though.)
• 1/8 tsp Sea Salt
• 1-2 Tablespoons of mayonnaise. (Use more if you want it creamier!)
• 2-3 Tablespoons of Dill Pickle juice
• 2 Dill pickle spears, chopped
• 1 teaspoon Dill weed

Throwing it All Together:

This recipe is super forgiving, so don’t stress about the exact measurements. Just tweak it based on your taste and goals!

1. Cook your pasta according to the package directions. Once it’s cooked, drain and rinse it with cold water to cool it down.
2. Chop up your grilled chicken into bite-sized pieces. I used 2 chicken breasts, but if you want extra protein, go ahead and toss in a third. (Allow it to cool if it’s fresh off the grill.)
3. In a large bowl, combine the pasta and chicken with 1-2 chopped dill pickle spears.
4. Add 1-2 tablespoons of ranch dressing, 1-2 tablespoons of mayo, and 2-3 tablespoons of dill pickle juice. Start small and add more to taste, especially if you like it creamier or tangier.
5. Sprinkle in 1/8 teaspoon of sea salt and 1 teaspoon of dill weed. Stir everything together until it’s well coated and looking delicious.
6. Taste and adjust! Add more pickle juice, mayo, or ranch if needed. Then chill it in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before serving so the flavors can hang out. Stir again right before serving, and voila!

Dill Pasta Salad Recipe Card 👇

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Dill Pickle Pasta Salad with Chicken

Looking for an easy but delicious pasta salad recipe? Try this dill pickle pasta salad with chicken! It's easy, tangy, and high-protein!

Course Salad, Side Dish

Cuisine American

Keyword pasta, pasta salad, salad

Prep Time 1 hour hour

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Cost $6

Ingredients

• 2-3 grilled chicken breasts chopped
• 1/2-1 box Rotini pasta
• 1-2 tbsp Ranch dressing
• 1-2 tbsp Mayonnaise
• 1/8 tsp Sea Salt
• 2-3 tbsp Dill Pickle juice
• 2 Dill pickle spears chopped
• 1 tsp Dill weed

Instructions

• Cook your pasta according to the package directions. Once it’s cooked, drain and rinse it with cold water to cool it down.
• Chop up your grilled chicken into bite-sized pieces. I used 2 chicken breasts, but if you want extra protein, go ahead and toss in a third. Allow it to cool if it's fresh off the grill.
• In a large bowl, combine the pasta and chicken with 1-2 chopped dill pickle spears.
• Add the ranch dressing, mayonaise, and pickle juice. Start small and add more to taste, especially if you like it creamier or tangier.
• Sprinkle in the sea salt and dill weed. Stir everything together until it’s well coated.
• Taste and adjust! Add more pickle juice, mayo, or ranch if needed.
• Chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before serving so the flavors can hang out and the pasta/chicken is cold. Stir again right before serving.

Notes

Use your best judgment when it comes to keeping this recipe healthy! It can be easy to overdo it with pasta, mayonnaise, and other high-calorie ingredients. 

I hope you like this recipe!

Until next time,

Chantal from Ironwild Fitness