Chicken Pesto Pasta Salad

Pasta salad made with tender chicken, tomatoes, baby spinach, fresh basil, and rich Italian cheese tossed in a flavorful pesto dressing.

Course Lunch, Main Course, Salad, Side Dish

Cuisine Salad

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 10

Total Time 15

Servings

Calories 428kcal

Author Amee

16 oz short noodle pasta of choice
16 oz chicken breast cooked and shredded. Leftover grilled chicken, poached chicken, or rotisserie chicken work great here.
8 oz fresh mozzarella I use the small mozzarella balls, so no need for slicing.
1 pint cherry tomatoes sliced in half
2 cups fresh baby spinach
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese shredded or freshly grated
1 tbsp fresh basil chopped
salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste
For the dressing:
1/2 cup avocado oil or light olive oil
3 tbsp red wine vinegar
3 tbsp prepared pesto sauce store bought or homemade
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1 tsp sugar

Cook pasta according to package directions for al dente, about 7-8 minutes depending on the type of pasta. Drain, rinse under cold water, drain again and set aside in a large bowl.
Add shredded or chopped cooked chicken breast, mozzarella, tomatoes, baby spinach, basil, and parmesan cheese.
In a small bowl, whisk the dressing ingredients together until combined and pour over the pasta salad. Season with salt and pepper, to taste, and toss to mix.
Cover and chill for 1 hour and up to 8 hours for the flavors to mingle. Toss well before serving.

For pasta salad, the noodles are always best cooked al dente, so be sure to taste a noodle for doneness before draining the pasta pot.
I like doubling the dressing and mixing the ingredients in a mason jar. That way, I can use half for this pasta salad and refrigerate the remaining in the mason jar for 4-5 days for other uses.
I know it looks delicious and you want to dig in, but chilling chicken pesto pasta salad for at least an hour before serving gives the ingredients more time to mingle. As a result, the final dish has a more vibrant flavor