Cilantro Lime Chicken Pasta (Printable Version)

Vibrant pasta with tender chicken in a tangy cilantro-lime yogurt sauce. Fresh, creamy, and ready in 40 minutes.

# What You Need:

→ Pasta and Chicken

01 - 12 oz rotini pasta
02 - 2 cups cooked shredded chicken breast, rotisserie or poached

→ Cilantro-Lime Yogurt Sauce

03 - 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
04 - 1/3 cup fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
05 - 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
06 - 1 teaspoon lime zest
07 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
08 - 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
09 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
10 - 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
11 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
12 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

→ Optional Garnishes

13 - 1/4 cup cotija or feta cheese, crumbled
14 - Extra chopped cilantro
15 - Lime wedges

# How To Make:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add rotini pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente. Drain in a colander and set aside.
02 - While pasta cooks, combine Greek yogurt, cilantro, lime juice, lime zest, minced garlic, olive oil, cumin, chili powder, salt, and black pepper in a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth and vibrant green in color.
03 - Transfer cooked rotini and shredded chicken to a large mixing bowl. Pour cilantro-lime yogurt sauce over pasta and chicken. Toss thoroughly until all ingredients are evenly coated.
04 - Taste the pasta and adjust salt, lime juice, or spices as needed to reach desired flavor balance.
05 - Divide pasta among serving plates or bowls. Top with crumbled cotija or feta cheese, additional cilantro, and lime wedges. Serve immediately.

# Cooking Tips:

01 -
  • The sauce comes together faster than you can boil water and tastes like something from a restaurant
  • Leftovers keep beautifully for lunch the next day, if they last that long
02 -
  • The sauce thickens if it sits too long, so toss it with hot pasta right after blending
  • Adding a jalapeño to the blender takes this from family friendly to date night material
03 -
  • Room temperature yogurt blends more smoothly than cold straight from the fridge
  • Reserve some pasta water before draining to thin the sauce if it gets too thick
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