Cilantro Lime Chicken Pasta (Printable)

Vibrant pasta with tender shredded chicken tossed in tangy cilantro-lime yogurt sauce. Fresh and flavorful in 40 minutes.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Pasta and Chicken

01 - 12 ounces 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 crumbled cotija or feta cheese
14 - Extra fresh cilantro, chopped
15 - Lime wedges

# Directions:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to boil and cook rotini pasta according to package directions. Drain thoroughly 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.
03 - Transfer cooked rotini and shredded chicken to a large bowl and toss with the cilantro-lime yogurt sauce until evenly coated.
04 - Taste the pasta and adjust salt, pepper, or lime juice as needed to achieve desired flavor balance.
05 - Transfer to serving plates and garnish with crumbled cotija or feta cheese, fresh cilantro, and lime wedges if desired. Serve immediately.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The creamy yogurt sauce creates this incredible tangy richness without feeling heavy like traditional cream sauces
  • It transforms basic leftover chicken into something that feels like you put in way more effort than you actually did
02 -
  • The sauce will look thinner than traditional pasta sauce, but that's exactly right because the yogurt creates this beautiful light coating rather than a heavy blanket
  • If you're making this ahead, reserve some pasta water to thin the sauce before serving since the pasta will drink up that yogurt as it sits
03 -
  • Room temperature yogurt blends more smoothly into a cohesive sauce, so pull it out of the fridge while you're waiting for the pasta water to boil
  • Use a microplane or fine grater for the lime zest, you want those tiny aromatic flecks that almost dissolve into the sauce rather than big strips
Go Back