Pesto Chicken Pasta Salad– Whip up a 10-minute meal packed with flavor, protein, and veggies! This chicken pasta salad with pesto is loaded with tomatoes, avocado, and red onion. Every bite is like a circus of flavors! If you’re looking for a nutritious salad for your lunches or potlucks, this chunky chicken pasta salad recipe will be one of the best options in your arsenal. Enjoy!
Ingredients list for the Pesto Chicken Pasta Salad
- 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 1/2 tablespoon basil pesto
- 1/2 cup chopped red onion
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 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
- 1 teaspoon Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 teaspoon basil pesto
- 1 teaspoon mayonnaise, optional
Recipe tips for the chicken salad:
- We recommend serving the chicken salad as soon as it’s assembled. The dressing can be made in advance and kept in your refrigerator. We found the chicken salad is even more flavorful after it sits in the refrigerator for a couple of hours. Bring the chicken pasta salad back to room temperature before serving so the cold doesn’t dull the flavors.
- Is rotisserie chicken really okay to use? Yes, absolutely. While shredded or diced chicken that you just roasted or grilled on the stove brings a delicious smokey flavor for the chicken pasta salad, a good-quality rotisserie chicken breast will work, too. Avoid steamed chicken breasts because they won’t yield much flavor. Here’s a good recipe for grilled chicken breasts that will fit perfectly in this pasta salad.
What pesto should I use for the chicken salad?
If you can get your hands on fresh herbs, the very best pesto is made from what you have on hand. Pesto is easy to make and packed with flavor. Pile fresh basil, garlic, pine nuts or cashews, black peppercorns, and olive oil in a mortar and grind until you get a smooth consistency. Finish off with finely grated parmesan cheese, and you’re good to go. We recommend basil for this recipe, but adding a handful of arugula might be a great idea too! Any herbs or leafy greens can be swapped in. If you’re short on time, go ahead and grab a jar at the grocery store instead. Because at the end of the day, a wonderful pesto sauce is what makes this pesto chicken salad shine!
Directions
1. To make this chicken pasta salad recipe: In a large bowl, add the salad ingredients, the shredded chicken, avocado, onion, cherry tomatoes, and pesto.
2. In a jar, combine the ingredients for the dressing: vinegar, Italian seasoning, Olive oil, pesto, mayonnaise (if using), salt and pepper.
3. Drizzle your pesto chicken pasta salad with the dressing. Toss gently until all the ingredients are combined. Serve the pesto chicken pasta salad immediately, or chill in the refrigerator for later. Enjoy!
More chicken salad recipes
- Healthy Avocado Chicken Salad
- Healthy Spinach Chicken Salad with Cauliflower
- Spinach Corn Feta Chicken Salad
- Roasted Chicken Parmesan Kale Salad
