Gluten-Free Pasta Salad with Chicken

Ingredients

• 1 (12 ounce) package gluten-free elbow pasta
• 1 cup mayonnaise (such as Best Foods®)
• 2 tablespoons chipotle ranch dressing (such as Wish-Bone®)
• 2 (10 ounce) cans chicken breast, drained
• ½ cup chopped green onions
• 1 (4 ounce) can sliced mushrooms, drained
• 1 (3.8 ounce) can sliced black olives, drained
• 1 tablespoon celery seed
• 1 tablespoon dill
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon ground thyme
• 1 pint grape tomatoes

Step 1

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Once it’s bubbling, add the elbow pasta and give it a good stir for the first couple of minutes to keep it from sticking. Cook the pasta until it’s tender but still has a bit of bite—about 8 minutes or follow the package instructions. Drain the pasta and rinse it under cold water to stop the cooking, then transfer it to a big bowl.

Step 2

Spread about a quarter cup of mayonnaise over the pasta, then drizzle in some chipotle ranch dressing. Stir everything together well to keep the pasta from clumping. Next, add the shredded chicken, chopped green onions, sliced mushrooms, olives, a sprinkle of celery seed, dill, onion powder, and thyme. Gently mix it all so the flavors come together.

Step 3

If you’d like the salad creamier, add the rest of the mayonnaise a little at a time until it’s just how you like it. Finally, toss in the grape tomatoes and give everything a gentle stir—try not to squish the tomatoes. Pop the salad into the fridge for about half an hour to let it chill and the flavors meld before serving.