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No more sad, dry pesto pasta salads – we’re doing things right with this chicken pesto pasta salad recipe! It’s tossed in a bright, flavorful pesto vinaigrette that keeps everything juicy and delicious. Perfect as a main for lunch or dinner but also totally shines as a side at any BBQ, picnic or summer hangout.
3 Reasons You’ll Love This Pesto Pasta Salad
- It’s NOT dry (thank goodness!): I’ve got a serious bone to pick with those dry, sad pesto pasta salads that simply toss through a couple spoonfuls of pesto and call it a day. This one’s different – it’s tossed in a super tasty pesto vinaigrette that keeps everything juicy, flavorful and far from boring.
- It’s quick and easy: You can whip this up in the time it takes to boil the pasta. Just make sure you’ve got some cooked chicken on hand – leftovers, store-bought rotisserie or make a plan to grill/cook up some extra chicken for dinner the night before.
- It works as a meal or a side: This one’s super versatile. It’s perfect as a complete meal for lunch or a light dinner but also makes an awesome side for BBQs, picnics or summer cookouts with friends.
Ingredient Notes
Here’s what you’ll need to make this pesto chicken pasta salad recipe:
Detailed ingredient list and directions located in the recipe card below.
- Pasta: Use your favorite short-cut pasta – rotini, fusilli, cavatappi, etc. I used farfalle (bowties) in the photos.
- Cooked chicken: Dice it up and toss it in. To keep things easy, have some cooked chicken ready to go – grab a rotisserie chicken from the store or cook up some extras for dinner the night before. Grilled, roasted, poached, pan-seared… it all works!
- Mini Bocconcini or mozzarella pearls: These cute little creamy balls of cheese are perfect in this!
- Tomatoes: I like to use grape tomatoes, cut in half. Cherry tomatoes work too (halved or quartered).
- Red Onion: Some finely diced red onion adds great flavor. You could also substitute for sweet onion.
- Baby Arugula: I love the peppery bite arugula adds, plus it brings a fresh pop of green!
- Sun Dried Tomatoes: I recommend the jarred sun dried tomatoes that are packed in olive oil. They’re soft, flavorful and taste amazing in this salad.
- Dressing: Everything gets tossed in the yummiest pesto vinaigrette. It’s a mix of pesto, a splash of the starchy pasta water (helps it coat everything perfectly), extra virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, a pinch of red pepper flakes, sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. You can totally use store-bought pesto (I like the kind from the refrigerated section near the fresh pasta) or use a delicious homemade pesto like this pistachio pesto.
- Garnish: Top the pasta salad off with some fresh basil and a sprinkle of shredded parmesan cheese for the perfect finishing touch.
Customize It
Pasta salad is fun to play around with – here are a few easy ways to switch things up:
- Switch up the protein: Try cooked turkey or canned tuna instead of chicken.
- Make it vegetarian: Skip the chicken and toss in some chickpeas instead.
- Change up the cheese: Use chopped up fresh mozzarella, torn burrata, crumbled feta or creamy goat cheese.
- Toss in extras: Roasted red peppers, crunchy cucumbers, bell peppers, olives, artichoke hearts, chickpeas… whatever you’ve got and love, throw it in!
How To Make Chicken Pesto Pasta Salad
This pasta salad is super quick to throw together – let me walk you through it step-by-step!
- Cook the pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook 1 pound (454 grams) of your favorite short-cut pasta according to package directions. Before you drain it, scoop out about ½ cup of that starchy pasta water and set it aside (you’ll need it for the dressing). Then drain the pasta and rinse under cold water to cool it down. Shake off any extra water and toss it into a large mixing bowl.
- Add remaining salad ingredients: To the bowl with the pasta, add 3-4 cups of diced cooked chicken, one 8-ounce or 200 gram container of mini bocconcini or mozzarella pearls (drained), 2 cups of halved grape tomatoes, ½ cup finely diced red onion, 1-2 cups of baby arugula and ½ cup of chopped sun dried tomatoes.
- Make the pesto vinaigrette: In a small bowl, whisk together 1 cup of pesto, ½ cup of that reserved starchy pasta water, ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil, ¼ cup red wine vinegar, ½ teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes and sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
- Toss it all together: Pour the dressing over the pasta salad ingredients and gently toss until everything’s coated. Give it a taste – if it needs a little something extra, I sometimes add some Italian seasoning blend or a sprinkle of this homemade bouillon powder for a flavor boost. You can dig in right away or let it chill in the fridge first for 30 to 60 minutes. Just before serving, garnish with some fresh basil and shredded parmesan.
Recipe Tips
A Few Tips
- Cook your pasta a little longer: Go about 1-2 minutes past al dente. It helps keep the pasta nice and tender, even after it cools off.
- Don’t forget to save some pasta water: You will need about ½ cup of the starchy water to mix into the dressing – it helps the pesto distribute and cling to everything. To make sure I don’t forget, I always pop a measuring cup next to the stove as a little reminder.
- Add salt to taste (and don’t be shy!): I didn’t include a salt measurement because it really depends on how salty your pesto is. Just keep in mind, the dressing should be saltier than what you’d use on a leafy salad – you’re seasoning plain pasta, so don’t hold back!
FAQ
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2-3 days. The pesto won’t be as vibrant but it’s still fine to eat. Also keep in mind that the pasta tends to absorb the dressing as it sits, so you might want to stir in a little extra before eating.
Kind of! It’s best enjoyed fresh or after chilling for about 30–60 minutes. Any longer and it can start to dry out and the pesto loses its vibrant color. If you’re planning ahead, store the pasta salad ingredients and dressing separately, then toss everything together and add your garnishes right before serving.
I know, rinsing pasta seems wrong and strange but for pasta salad, it’s actually the right move. Running it under cold water cools it down quickly and stops it from overcooking. Plus, it washes off the extra starch so your pasta doesn’t end up sticking together in one giant clump.
More Summer Pasta Salads
Did you make this chicken pesto pasta salad recipe? If so, I would love to hear about it! Please leave me a comment below.
Chicken Pesto Pasta Salad
- Prep Time: 10 min
- Cook Time: 15 min
- Total Time: 25 min
- Yield: 8-10 servings
- Category: Salad
- Method: Mix
- Cuisine: American, Italian
Description
No more sad, dry pesto pasta salads – we’re doing things right with this chicken pesto pasta salad recipe! It’s tossed in a bright, flavorful pesto vinaigrette that keeps everything juicy and delicious. Perfect as a main for lunch or dinner but also totally shines as a side at any BBQ, picnic or summer hangout.
Ingredients
For the pasta salad:
- 1 pound (454 grams) uncooked short-cut pasta (e.g. farfalle, fusilli, rotini, etc.)
- 3–4 cups diced cooked chicken (rotisserie, grilled, pan-seared, poached, etc.)
- 1 8-ounce (or 200 gram) container of mini bocconcini or mozzarella pearls, drained
- 2 cups grape tomatoes, halved (1 pint)
- ½ cup finely diced red onion
- 1–2 handfuls of baby arugula
- ½ cup sun dried tomatoes packed in oil, drained and chopped
- Garnish: fresh basil and shredded parmesan cheese
For the pesto vinaigrette:
- 1 cup pesto
- ½ cup reserved starchy pasta water
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup red wine vinegar
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Cook pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta according to package directions. Before you drain it, scoop out about ½ cup of that starchy pasta water and set it aside (you’ll need it for the dressing). Then drain the pasta and rinse under cold water to cool it down. Shake off any extra water and toss it into a large mixing bowl.
- Add remaining pasta salad ingredients: Add the rest of the pasta salad ingredients (except the garnish) to the bowl with the pasta.
- Make dressing: Whisk the pesto vinaigrette ingredients together in a small bowl.
- Combine: Pour the dressing over the pasta salad ingredients and gently toss until everything’s coated. Give it a taste – if it needs a little something extra, I sometimes add some Italian seasoning blend or a sprinkle of this homemade bouillon powder for a flavor boost.
- Garnish and serve: Serve right away or let it chill in the fridge first for 30 to 60 minutes. Just before serving, garnish with some fresh basil and shredded parmesan.
Notes
- Pesto: You can use store-bought pesto (I like the kind from the refrigerated section near the fresh pasta) or use a delicious homemade pesto like this pistachio pesto.
- Cook your pasta a little longer: Go about 1-2 minutes past al dente. It helps keep the pasta nice and tender, even after it cools off.
- Don’t forget to save some pasta water: You will need about ½ cup of the starchy water to mix into the dressing – it helps the pesto distribute and cling to everything. To make sure I don’t forget, I always pop a measuring cup next to the stove as a little reminder.
- Add salt to taste (and don’t be shy!): I didn’t include a salt measurement because it really depends on how salty your pesto is. Just keep in mind, the dressing should be saltier than what you’d use on a leafy salad – you’re seasoning plain pasta, so don’t hold back!
