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Healthy Chicken Pasta Salad Recipe – Packed with flavor, protein, and veggies! This healthy chicken pasta salad is loaded with tomatoes, avocado, and fresh basil. If you’re looking for a nutritious salad for lunch or recipes ideas for a potluck, this chunky chicken pasta salad will be one of the best options in your arsenal. Enjoy!
Photo credit: © Eatwell101.com
Ingredients list for the Chicken Pasta Salad Recipe
- 2 medium cooked chicken breasts, shredded or chopped (we used rotisserie chicken)
- 2 ripe avocado pitted and diced
- 1 pound cooked rotini pasta or similar
- 1/2 cup chopped red onion
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1/2 cup freshly chopped basil
- Salt and fresh cracked pepper, to taste
Dressing
- 1/2 cup white wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
Photo credit: © Eatwell101.com
How To Make This Simple Pasta Salad
This chicken pasta salad recipe is super easy to make. It’s ready in under 20 minutes from start to finish. That’s great, especially when you know you can keep this pasta salad in the refrigerator for up to 3 days! We used rotisserie chicken to make the pasta salad, but feel free to roast or grill chicken breasts on your own, or use chicken leftovers you have in your fridge. Simply throw all the ingredients together in a large salad bowl and make the vinaigrette-style dressing.
Photo credit: © Eatwell101.com
What’s the Best Pasta for the Chicken Pasta Salad?
We like a classic rotini pasta salad because rotini holds the dressing pretty well, but any sturdy pasta will work! Avoid spaghetti and long pasta such as tagliatelle. Rotini, bow tie, penne, and macaroni are all good alternatives for this chicken pasta salad recipe.
Photo credit: © Eatwell101.com
Photo credit: © Eatwell101.com
The Dressing for the Pasta Salad
One thing playing an important part in this pasta salad recipe is the dressing. Our pasta salad dressing counts only 5 ingredients, including salt and pepper.
To make the pasta salad dressing, whisk white wine vinegar, extra-virgin olive oil, Italian seasoning, and a pinch of salt and pepper. This dressing is pretty simple, but when mixed with pasta, chicken, tomato, avocado, and other ingredients the flavor is amazing!
To customize your pasta salad dressing, add a tablespoon of Greek yogurt, or use apple cider vinegar for a milder taste.
Photo credit: © Eatwell101.com
Photo credit: © Eatwell101.com
Photo credit: © Eatwell101.com
Directions
1. To make this healthy chicken pasta salad recipe: In a large bowl, add the salad ingredients, the shredded chicken, pasta, onion, avocado, cherry tomatoes, and basil.
2. In a jar, combine the ingredients for the dressing: vinegar, Italian seasoning, Olive oil, salt and pepper.
3. Drizzle your chicken pasta salad with the dressing. Toss gently until all the ingredients are combined. Serve the chicken pasta salad immediately, or chill for later. Enjoy!
Photo credit: © Eatwell101.com
Tips for the chicken pasta salad
This chicken pasta salad is healthy, perfect for busy nights, and makes a big enough batch so you can plan for work or school lunches. Since there’s no mayo it’s great for potlucks, picnics, and parties.
- Additional add-ins that go well with this salad would include chopped cucumber, crispy bacon, corn, olives, black beans…
- To keep the avocado from turning brown, coat the avocado in either lemon juice or lime juice. It will act as an antioxidant.
- Being a cold chicken pasta salad makes it perfect for summer, picnics or potlucks. You can make it up to a day in advance, leaving the avocado and tomato until you are ready to serve the chicken pasta salad to keep the ingredients as fresh as possible.
Can I grill chicken instead of using rotisserie chicken?
Yes, of course, you can grill chicken for this salad. Make sure to grill chicken breasts or pan-sear on medium-low heat, so chicken doesn’t burn while undercooked in the inside. When out of fresh chicken, we like to use a bag of frozen grilled organic chicken breasts that we heat up in a skillet and use for the salad.
How to Store the Chicken Pasta Salad?
This chicken pasta salad keeps in the fridge for up to 3 days if stored in an air-tight container. Don’t keep it for more than that because avocado will turn brown ultimately. You may have to toss up the chicken pasta salad leftovers to redistribute the dressing before serving. If you want to make it ahead of time, just omit the avocado, you’ll add them at the very last minute.
What other readers say about this chicken pasta salad
“This was so good and the perfect lunch. Changes: I added black olives, cucumber and matchstick carrots. I forgot to add the basil and it was fine without it.” – Maureen
“Just made this chicken pasta salad for our dinner. Will definitely make it again. Perfect for summer. Added some fire roasted corn and served the dressing on the side with croutons.” – Nancy
“Delicious! Husband loved it! Will be making it again!” – Laura
“The boys ate three plates each, this salad is a keeper!” – Deja
“Easy, healthy and cheap recipe; delicious! Added extra lemon juice and a touch of balsamic in the end. Will definitely be making this chicken salad again!” – Jamie
More chicken salad recipes
- Healthy Avocado Chicken Salad
- Blackened Chicken and Avocado Salad
- Healthy Chicken Pasta Salad with Pesto, Avocado, and Tomato
- Roasted Chicken Parmesan Kale Salad
Photo credit: © Eatwell101.com
Leave a Reply
Kaylie
2023-11-07 05:08:05
Best pasta salad ever and super easy to make
Jovita
2023-07-21 18:19:45
Nice choice for ingredients, simple to make, but even though I reduced vinegar and olive oil, still was too scour and too wet. Never seen a recepie with such high amounts of both of these ingredients
Kelly
2022-06-26 11:31:46
Delish! Added chopped zucchini for some veggie punch. Will make again!
Ellen
2021-07-25 08:34:56
Made this last minute and I didn’t have any avocados at the time, so I subbed out a jar of grilled artichokes and this is really an amazing dish! My go to for last minute pop-in guests!
Kim
2021-07-09 14:30:41
So yummy. I added 2 cups of cherry tomatoes. Will make again.
Jen
2021-07-04 16:45:21
Such a fresh, delicious salad for a hot summer day. Might make it next time as a side for grilled chicken!
Laurie
2021-06-25 13:48:29
This was an excellent salad. I added a 1/4 C. Fresh chipped mint and a tsp. Of granulated sugar. The outcome was spectacular! Thank you for great recipe even my grandkids will eat!!
Beverly
2021-06-23 06:46:35
Absolutely delish!! I added a little romaine, a little shredded mozzarella and cucumber. Cannot wait to share this salad with friends. Thank you for sharing!!
Lisa
2021-06-18 20:51:12
This recipe is delicious. I followed the recipe exactly and it's perfect.
Daniela
2021-06-17 17:57:12
This salad was delicious. Only changes is I cooked my Barilla plus rotini in low sodium chicken broth for extra flavor and I used less olive oil in the dressing. This was super refreshing filling and delicious.
Emily
2021-06-05 21:13:09
Was way too much dressing. Only needed a couple drizzles of olive oil, a splash of vinegar, and Italian seasoning to taste.
Gramma
2021-04-25 22:13:35
This was delicious and I will definitely be making it again!
