Cook the pasta. Boil in salted water until just al dente. High-protein pastas can overcook quickly, so check early. Drain and rinse under cool water to stop the cooking and prevent clumping.

Prep the protein. If using chicken, shred or dice into small bites. If using black beans, drain, rinse, and pat dry so they don’t water down the dressing.

Blend the dressing. In a blender or food processor, combine Greek yogurt, mayo (if using), chipotle peppers and adobo, lime juice (2–3 tablespoons), lime zest, honey, garlic, cumin, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Blend until completely smooth. Taste and adjust: add more lime for brightness, more adobo for heat, or a pinch of salt if needed.

Toss the base. In a large bowl, add cooled pasta, chicken or beans, tomatoes, red bell pepper, red onion, corn, and most of the cilantro.

Dress it up. Pour in about two-thirds of the dressing and toss until everything is evenly coated. Add more dressing as needed to reach your ideal creaminess. The pasta will absorb some dressing as it chills.

Chill to meld flavors. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes (up to overnight). This step deepens the smoky, tangy flavor and firms up the texture.

Finish and serve. Right before serving, toss again and add a splash of lime if it tightened up. Fold in avocado and cotija if using. Sprinkle with the remaining cilantro and a crack of black pepper.