This Easy Pasta Salad with Chicken is the perfect recipe for any summer occasion. Served as a side dish or as a healthy lunch, this chicken pasta salad is packed with flavors and protein.
In Summer, two things can’t miss in the fridge of an Italian. Prosciutto e melone and pasta salads. Since I don’t like neither prosciutto (aka ham) nor melone (aka melon), my summer meals mainly consisted of pasta salad. For weekday lunches to Sunday picnics in the countryside, it was always on our menu.
Well, you may now think that eating cold pasta everyday is quite boring. But not exactly. With pasta salads things are different. Add chicken, mozzarella or tuna and congratulations, you just ended up with a completely different meal. Never the same lunch two days in a row. That’s why I love pasta salads: they’re quick, easy, simple and incredibly versatile. Oh, and they can be incredibly healthy too, like this recipe over here!
Why you will love this chicken pasta salad?
I love this easy pasta salad with chicken, and I’m sure you will love it too. Why? Well, I could write a whole book on this. But I’ll try to be short and give you the reasons why this is going to become your new favorite summer recipe.
- This chicken pasta salad is delicious, packed with flavors and all the goodness of fresh ingredients.
- Quick and simple to make, this easy pasta salad is a recipe with no fuss.
- With fresh vegetables and chicken, this easy pasta salad is also healthy and nutritious. It's rich in protein, healthy fats and vitamins. The perfect meal to load up on nutrients on a hot summer day.
- This pasta is great for meal prepping. Make it ahead and you won't need to worry about cooking lunch for days. It's great for your packaged lunch at the office or for your kids to bring to school.
- Pasta salads are incredibly versatile. Toss in your favorite foods or drizzle with a creamy dressing...You'll end up with a brand new meal in a wink.
The ingredients for easy pasta salad
Dear friend, this is not another clickbait. When I say that this is an easy pasta salad, I mean it. Starting from the basics, you only need a handful of simple foods that you probably already have at home. If something is not there, relax. I've included plenty of substitutes for you.
- Chicken breast: use boneless and skinless chicken breast. For a healthier recipe, I recommend getting raw chicken and cooking it at home by yourself. But for convenience you can also use precooked chicken or rotisserie chicken (it will save you time).
- Dry pasta: this recipe requires a short pasta, whole-grain or gluten-free if necessary. I used fusilli, but feel free to pick and choose any shape you want. Great options are fusilli, rotini, penne, farfalle and rigatoni.
- Mozzarella balls: a great addition to pasta salads, mozzarella balls are fresh and tasty. If you don't have it in balls, dice normal fresh mozzarella and stir in your salad. Replace with feta cheese, Parmesan cheese or a plant-based alternative if you can't eat dairy.
- Cherry tomatoes: I like cherry tomatoes because they less watery and more flavorsome: But you can also use other types like red beefsteak tomatoes or Roma tomatoes.
- Avocados: use fresh large avocados. In dices, they will make your chicken pasta salad more satisfying. And healthy too, because avocado is a nutrient-dense food with plenty of vitamins, minerals and healthy fats.
- Sweet corn: use canned sweet corn or frozen corn (cooked), preferably low sodium and without added sugars.
- Olives: I like black olives but also green olives or Kalamata olives work. If you don't like them, replace with capers or omit.
- Olive oil: extra virgin olive oil from the Mediterranean for the best taste.
- Salt and pepper: these give your pasta salad a great flavor, but don't overdo because there will be more in the dressing.
Best pasta for pasta salads
Since it is an essential ingredient, it is important to choose the right pasta shape for your salads. One that can hold up the dressing and match with added veggies, herbs and other goodies.
The recommendation is to use a short pasta. This way it won't get soft and mushy when mixed and refrigerated. For this recipe I used fusilli, but other great options are rotini, penne, mezze penne, farfalle, rigatoni, cavatappi or even rotelle. Whether it is normal, whole-grain or gluten-free pasta, it's up to you. I like using kamut fusilli, as they are more nutritious and have a great texture.
Best chicken for pasta salad
As it is a source of lean protein, adding chicken to pasta salads makes your meal more filling and satisfying. If you want to keep the calories down and maximize the nutritional benefits of chicken, selecting the right cuts and cooking methods is essential.
This recipe uses boneless and skinless chicken breast, home-cooked on the grill. As it contains very little fat and is cooked without oil, this is one of the healthiest options. If the grill is out of question for you, cook, air fry or bake your chicken, but keep it simple.
For convenience you can also use precooked chicken breast from the store. But be careful about added ingredients, as it may contain excessive amounts of sodium and oil. Also, for a healthy chicken pasta salad, try to avoid fried chicken or fat cuts such as wings with the skin.
Homemade salad dressing
One of the most important parts of pasta salad is the dressing. It makes your dish more flavorsome and less dry, so it should never miss. Sticking to my promise of teaching you how to make easy pasta salad, I am glad to share the recipe for my simple homemade dressing. Healthy and delicious!
For the dressing, you only need a handful of basic ingredients:
- Olive oil: I recommend extra virgin olive oil.
- White vine vinegar: you can replace with apple cider vinegar.
- Honey: substitute with maple syrup, agave or cane sugar.
- Garlic: this recipe uses a minced garlic clove, which can be replaced with about ½ teaspoon of garlic powder.
- Italian seasonings: here I am using a mix of dry oregano and dry basil.
- Salt and pepper: as much as necessary, to your likings.
How to make chicken pasta salad
Start by cooking the pasta in salted boiling water according to package directions. Once cooked, drain, transfer to a large mixing bowl and drizzle with olive oil.
While the pasta is cooking, prepare the chicken. You can cook, grill, bake or air fry the chicken breast to your likings, and then cut into cubes or stripes.
Once the chicken breast is ready, add to the bowl with the pasta together with all remaining ingredients. The diced avocados, the cherry tomatoes, the sweet corn, the mozzarella balls, the olives, the olive oil and the seasonings. Mix the pasta salad until everything is combined and adjust with salt and pepper to your preferences. Toss chicken pasta salad with the dressing. If you want, you can also sprinkle the pasta with fresh herbs such as fresh basil.
You can directly serve it or seal in a large airtight food container and refrigerate for up to 4 days. I recommend removing the pasta salad from the fridge a couple of hours before serving, this way it won't taste chewy. Also, be sure to pour on some more dressing because it will restore the initial moisture.
How to store chicken pasta salad
The best way to store leftovers is an airtight food container in the fridge. This will help the salad stay fresh and prevent bacteria from growing. In case you are using a large bowl or plastic container, cover the bowl with cling firm or wrapping paper.
If refrigerated properly, this easy pasta salad with chicken will last for up to 4 days. When you want to serve, I recommend taking it out of the refrigerator two to three hours ahead. Unfortunately, pasta salad doesn't freeze well.
Easy pasta salad, made easier
This is a very easy chicken pasta salad recipe. It comes together in under 20 minutes with a bunch of simple ingredients. But if it is still not enough for you, here are my top secrets on how to make this easy pasta salad even quicker and easier.
- Buy precooked chicken breast. It will save you plenty of time in the kitchen, cooking and cleaning. Preferably, you should purchase a product with minimal ingredients, non-fried, low in sodium and free from added oils.
- Use pitted olives. As simple as it may sound, not having to remove the kernel will save you some more time. And stress, because pitting olives is a nightmare. At least for me.
- Make in large batches. When preparing this chicken pasta salad, make more so that you can have some in the fridge for your upcoming meals.
Tips for making pasta salad
Growing up, I moved to live on my own. If as a child it was mum and grandma cooking, now it was my turn. After a couple of sad, dry and sticky pasta, I can finally say that I've mastered the art of making the perfect pasta salad. Here are my top five lessons learned on the long road to success.
- Use the right shape of pasta. Did you know that there are more than 350 different types of pasta? Well, not all of them are good for salads. You should use a short pasta shape such as fusilli, rotini, rotelle, penne and farfalle.
- Cook your pasta well. Pasta is better if cooked until al dente. That's true, but only if served right away. With pasta salads, things are different. When it cools, the cooked pasta will harden even further because of a process called retrogradation. So don't be afraid of cooking your fusilli one minute past al dente.
- After draining, drizzle the pasta with olive oil. If you place it the bowl alone, the pasta gets sticky.
- Dress twice. Dress your salad twice, one time after preparing it and one time before serving. That's because the pasta will dry out and get sticky while it sits in the fridge, so after bringing it at room temperature, pouring on a little more dressing helps restore the initial moisture.
- Never serve ice cold. If served cold straight from the fridge, your chicken pasta salad will taste dry and chewy. Make sure you take it out from the refrigerator and let warm up at room temperature for about 2 to 3 hours. Dress before serving and enjoy!
FAQ - Frequently asked questions
After draining, make sure you drizzle the pasta with olive oil. Also, toss it with the homemade dressing because it will make a juicer, moister, and more flavorsome pasta salad!
If you undercook or cook it just until al dente, the pasta salad will be hard. This happens because of a chemical process called retrogradation, which causes the pasta to harden as the water that enters the starch molecules during cooking is released while cooling. The solution is to cook your pasta well, it will harden further when cooled.
Soft cheeses like mozzarella or feta, as well as hard cheeses like Parmesan are great. Do not use overly creamy cheeses like brie or ricotta.
If refrigerated in an airtight food container, the dish will stay fresh for up to 4 days.
Unfortunately pasta salad does not freeze well.
More healthy pasta recipes
- Tuscan chicken pasta
- Parmesan spinach pasta with chicken
- Protein pasta salad
- Low calorie Alfredo fettuccine
- Protein pesto pasta
Easy Pasta Salad with Chicken
Ingredients
- 460 grams (1 lb) boneless chicken breast
- 360 grams (13 oz.) dry pasta fusilli, rotini, penne or farfalle
- 1 ½ tbsp olive oil
- 200 grams (2 cups) cherry tomatoes halved
- 150 grams (1 cup) sweet corn canned, drained
- 1 ½ avocados large, diced
- 150 grams (5 oz) mozzarella balls or diced mozzarella
- a handful of black olives sliced in half
- salt and pepper to taste
Healthy Dressing
- 4 tbsp olive oil extra virgin
- 2 tbsp white vinegar
- 1 tsp honey or maple syrup
- 1 garlic clove finely minced
- ¾ tsp Italian seasoning mix of dry oregano and dry basil
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Healthy Dressing
- In a small bowl, combine all the dressing ingredients. Adjust with salt and pepper to taste and set aside for later.
Chicken Pasta Salad
- Cook pasta in salted boiling water according to package directions. Once cooked, drain, transfer to a large mixing bowl and drizzle with olive oil.
- While the pasta is cooking, prepare the chicken. Cook, grill, bake or air fry the chicken breast and then cut into cubes or stripes.
- Once the chicken breast is ready, add to the bowl with the pasta together with all remaining ingredients. The diced avocados, the cherry tomatoes, the sweet corn, the mozzarella balls, the olives, the oil and the seasonings. Mix the pasta salad until everything is combined and adjust with salt and pepper to your preferences.
- Toss chicken pasta salad with the dressing. Serve directly or seal in a large airtight food container and refrigerate for up to 4 days. Remove the pasta salad from the fridge a couple of hours before serving. Pour on some more dressing for a better taste.
Notes
- Please note that the nutritional values are approximations only. For precise information, calculate the nutritional values by yourself.
Nutrition
Nutritional values are based on third-party calculations and should be considered approximations. Actual nutritional content will vary based on brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes and more. We do not overtake any responsibility.
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