Description
This cold Chicken Pasta Salad Recipe comes together with cooked chicken, fresh veggies, tangy olives, basil, and Parmesan cheese. Tossed with a homemade creamy dressing, it’s easy to prepare and great for meal prep!
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 8 oz. fusilli, rotini, or penne pasta
- 2 cups cooked chicken breast, diced or shredded
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 cup cucumber, diced
- 1/2 cup red bell pepper, diced
- 1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped
- 1/2 cup sliced black olives
- 1/4 cup fresh basil, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
Dressing
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 2 Tbsp. olive oil
- 2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp. Dijon mustard
- Kosher salt and fresh black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Cook the pasta until al dente in salted water according to the package instructions. Drain and rinse under cold water. Transfer to a large mixing bowl.
- Add chicken, tomatoes, cucumbers, bell pepper, red onion, olives, basil, and Parmesan cheese.
- Whisk together the mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, olive oil, red wine vinegar, garlic, and Dijon mustard in a separate bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Pour the dressing over the pasta and gently toss until everything is evenly coated with the dressing. Taste the salad and adjust the seasoning if necessary.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a lid and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld together. Before serving, give the salad a final toss and taste for salt and pepper.
Notes
- Chop into even pieces: Chop the chicken and veggies into uniform pieces so you get a little bit of all the ingredients in every bite.
- Don’t skip chilling the salad: This helps all the flavors meld together for a more flavorful salad.
- Leftovers: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Give it a good stir to redistribute the ingredients before serving, and feel free to add an extra splash of dressing to freshen it back up.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 466
- Sugar: 3.4 g
- Sodium: 376.9 mg
- Fat: 24.7 g
- Carbohydrates: 33.3 g
- Protein: 26.5 g
- Cholesterol: 69.2 mg