Cilantro Lime Chicken Pasta (Printable)

Creamy cilantro-lime yogurt sauce coats tender chicken and rotini pasta. A fresh, tangy, high-protein dinner ready in under 45 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 cotija or feta cheese, crumbled
14 - Extra fresh cilantro, chopped
15 - Lime wedges

# How-To Steps:

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 bowl. Pour cilantro-lime yogurt sauce over the mixture and toss thoroughly 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 or bowls. Garnish with crumbled cotija or feta cheese, additional fresh cilantro, and lime wedges. Serve immediately.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The creamy sauce comes together in seconds and tastes like something from a restaurant
  • Its packed with protein but feels like comfort food
  • The lime and cilantro combo wakes up everything on your plate
02 -
  • The sauce thickens as it sits, so if making ahead, stir in a splash of water or extra lime juice before serving
  • Room temperature ingredients blend smoother than cold ones straight from the fridge
  • This pasta is actually better the next day, the flavors really settle in
03 -
  • Use a microplane for the lime zest, you only want the green part, not the bitter white pith underneath
  • Reserve that pasta water even if you think you wont need it, better safe than sorry
  • The sauce tastes better after sitting for 15 minutes, letting the garlic mellow out a bit
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