Go Back
+ servings
Print

Chicken Pasta Salad

This Chicken Pasta Salad recipe has great variety & is so flavorful. You'll love how quick & easy this salad & homemade dressing are to make.
Course Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine American, Italian
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 7 minutes
Total Time 17 minutes
Servings 10
Calories 395kcal
Author Dina

Ingredients

For the salad

  • 1 lb tri-color rotini
  • 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon Salt or to taste
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper or to taste
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes
  • 1 cup cucumber
  • 1/2 cup red onion chopped
  • 1 Avocado

For the dressing

Instructions

  • Start off by slicing 1 pound of boneless skinless chicken into thin cutlets. Then season both sides of the chicken with 1 teaspoon is Italian seasoning, and about 1 teaspoon salt or to taste along with 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper.
  • Heat a large pan to medium-high heat and add 2 tablespoons of olive oil in. Then cook the chicken on both sides. Make sure your chicken is cooked through. The best way to check chicken doneness is by inserting a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the meat. It should read at least 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • Once the chicken is fully cooked, let it sit for about 5-10 minutes covered. Then cut up the chicken into bite-size pieces.
    Steps to make Chicken Pasta Salad: season the chicken and then cook it in a cast iron pan before chopping it into bite sized pieces.
  • In the meantime, cook 1 pound of tri-color rotini according to the package.
  • Then drain the pasta and rinse with cold water to stop it from overcooking.
  • Now slice up 1 cup cherry tomatoes, 1 cup English cucumber, 1/2 cup red onion. Then cut 1 avocado into small cubes.
  • Place the cooked pasta and cut up vegetables and chicken into a large bowl.
  • Now for the dressing, add the following ingredients into a large measuring: 1/2 cup olive oil, 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar, 2 tbsp honey, 4 tbsp water, 3 tbsp lemon juice, 1 tsp Italian spices, and 3/4 tsp salt.
  • Use a whisk to combine the dressing ingredients together, then pour over the pasta salad. Toss to combine a serve chilled.
    Steps to make Chicken Pasta Salad: combine the oil, vinegar, honey, lemon juice, water, Italian spices, and salt in a measuring cup with a whisk, then add the avocado, chicken, pasta, onion, and tomatoes to a bowl and toss with dressing.

Notes

  • Don't overcook the pasta- Make sure to cook the pasta al dente, and then rinse it with cold water after draining. This is important to stop the cooking process so the pasta doesn't become mushy and broken when tossed with the other ingredients.
  • Fully cook the chicken- To ensure the chicken is fully cooked, the best thing to do is insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the meat. It should read at least 145 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • Keep everything about the same size- When chopping the chicken and vegetables, try to keep them all about the same size so the salad is uniform. That way, when you take a bite, you aren't getting a big mouthful of any one ingredient, but a little of everything.
  • Double your dressing- Make some extra dressing to store in the refrigerator for your next salad. In a lidded jar or bottle, it can last for a week.

Nutrition

Calories: 395kcal | Carbohydrates: 41g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 29mg | Sodium: 467mg | Potassium: 443mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 133IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 27mg | Iron: 1mg