Description
Easy Chicken Pesto Pasta Salad is a fresh, flavorful, and satisfying pasta salad that combines tender chicken, al dente pasta, juicy veggies, and bright basil pesto — perfect served cold or at room temperature for lunch, dinner, picnics, or meal prep.
Ingredients
- 2 cups cooked chicken breast or thighs, shredded or cubed
- 3 cups short pasta (rotini, fusilli, penne, or similar), cooked and cooled
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 cup cucumber, chopped
- ¼ red onion, thinly sliced (optional)
- 1 cup fresh mozzarella balls (bocconcini) or cubed cheese
- ½ cup basil pesto (store‑bought or homemade)
- 1–2 tbsp olive oil (optional, to loosen pesto if needed)
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- Fresh basil leaves (optional, for garnish)
- 2 tbsp pine nuts or sunflower seeds (optional, for crunch)
Instructions
- Cook the pasta according to package instructions. Drain and rinse under cool water to stop the cooking and chill slightly.
- In a large bowl, combine cooked pasta, shredded or cubed chicken, halved cherry tomatoes, chopped cucumber, sliced red onion if using, and mozzarella balls or cubes.
- Add the basil pesto and toss gently to coat evenly. If the pesto is too thick, drizzle in a bit of olive oil to help it spread.
- Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
- Garnish with fresh basil leaves and sprinkle pine nuts or sunflower seeds if using.
- Chill the salad in the refrigerator for 15–20 minutes before serving if you prefer it cold; otherwise serve at room temperature.
Notes
- For extra greens, mix in some arugula or baby spinach before chilling.
- Swap sun‑dried tomatoes, roasted red peppers, or grilled zucchini for a deeper or smoky flavor variation.
- Use tortellini or farfalle for a fun twist on the pasta base.
- For a dairy‑free or vegan version, skip the mozzarella (or use plant‑based cheese) and use vegan pesto.
- If the pasta salad dries out after refrigeration, stir in a little extra pesto or olive oil before serving.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/6 of recipe
- Calories: 410
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 520mg
- Fat: 16g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 38g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 22g
- Cholesterol: 35mg
