High-Protein Enchilada Pasta Salad (Perfect for Leftover Grilled Chicken!)
Do you ever throw a BBQ and end up with leftover grilled chicken? Somehow, we always do. And with food prices climbing, I absolutely hate to waste anything. That’s why I love getting creative with leftovers—and this Enchilada Pasta Salad is one of my go-to solutions!
It’s flavorful, filling, and easy to throw together using what you probably already have in your fridge.
To boost the protein, I used Banza chickpea pasta, which has 20 grams of protein per serving! Such a game-changer if you’re watching your carbs or trying to stay full longer—especially helpful on a weight loss journey.
🔎 Quick tip: Chickpea pasta tends to make the water a bit foamy when boiling, but that’s totally normal. Just don’t forget to rinse your noodles well after cooking for the best texture.
You can also adjust the jalapeño based on your family’s spice tolerance—totally flexible!
🌶️ What You’ll Need:
- 1 lb grilled chicken breasts (chopped into bite-sized pieces)
- 1 (16 oz) box Banza chickpea pasta
- 2/3 cup red enchilada sauce
- 1/3 cup sour cream
- Juice of ½ lime
- 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 can yellow corn, drained
- ½ cup diced red onion
- 1 jalapeño, finely chopped (use more or less to taste)
- ¼ cup chopped cilantro (for garnish)
🥣 Directions:
- Cook chickpea pasta according to package instructions (about 8–10 minutes).
- Drain and rinse pasta thoroughly with cool water.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the enchilada sauce, sour cream, and lime juice until smooth.
- Add the cooked pasta, chopped chicken, black beans, corn, onion, and jalapeño to the bowl.
- Toss everything together until evenly coated.
- Top with chopped cilantro and refrigerate for at least 1 hour until chilled.
Serve cold—it’s the perfect side dish or even a full meal on its own!
🧠 Nutrition Highlights (per ½ cup serving):
- Calories: 394
- Protein: 38.5g
- Carbs: 58.2g
- Fiber: 20.4g (amazing!)
- Fat: 8.6g
- Sodium: 272mg
Based on 8 servings. Nutritional info calculated using standard estimates.
