Chicken Pesto Pasta Salad

Chicken Pesto Pasta Salad makes a delicious meal or side dish that is ready to serve in minutes and is sure to please your family!

This easy-to-make, tasty dish is the perfect way to enjoy all the flavors of a classic Italian dinner without all the fuss. You'll only need 5 ingredients to make this tasty recipe.

I'm sharing a step-by-step guide to making this delicious meal, provide ideas for using up any leftovers you may have, and suggest ways to customize this recipe to make it your own.

So get your apron ready — you're about to make the most scrumptious chicken pesto pasta salad your guests have ever tasted!

Why you'll love this recipe

Make ahead - I am always on the lookout for recipes that I can make ahead of time. While Greek inspired lemon orzo salad is amazing, this is yet another pasta salad that is always welcome in our house when warm weather hits!

Pesto Pasta Salad with Chicken also makes a fabulous field meal for my farming friends and families on the go!

Simple - As an added bonus, it only need five ingredients which likely means this pasta salad will join your regular meal plan rotation!

How to use leftover chicken to make pesto pasta salad

Is “leftovers” a dirty word in your household? Transforming leftover cooked chicken is a great way to solve that problem.

Recipe variations

If you can’t resist tinkering with recipes like me, there are all sorts of ways you can mix up this recipe.

• pasta shapes – use rotini, bowtie or any other shape of pasta you can spear with a fork.
• use a sprinkle of shredded or grated parmesan cheese for some added flavor, or use mozzarella pearls in place of the shredded mozzarella cheese
• add baby arugula or baby spinach while the pasta is still warm. It will wilt and add a pop of color and nutrition!
• make this pasta salad lower carb and gluten free by using chickpea pasta. Our kids actually love this and so do I!
• if you don't have fresh tomatoes, check the pantry to see if you have a jar of sun-dried tomatoes on hand.

Ingredients

Fresh ingredients are the star of the show in this chicken pasta salad.

Five ingredients – that’s it! If I can count them on one hand, it’s a win in my book. For this easy recipe we’ll need:

• leftover grilled chicken breast or shredded rotisserie chicken - I like to make a whole chicken in my Instant Pot and use it for recipes and cold lunches throughout the week.
• penne pasta
• grape tomatoes or cherry tomatoes
• shredded mozzarella cheese
• store-bought pesto – basil pesto is, of course, basil, but it also has olive oil and toasted pine nuts. It’s all blended up into a rich sauce that is amazing in Italian food.
• fresh basil - optional but delicious. It also helps people anticipate what the sauce coating the pasta is.

How to Make Chicken Pesto Pasta Salad

Step 1: Cook pasta. Use whatever kind of pasta you like. You can use traditional pasta, gluten free pasta, or low carb pasta. Boil it, drain it and add it to a bowl.

And no, you don’t have to rinse it.

Step 2: Add pesto sauce. You can make a homemade pesto or use store bought pesto. Some of that may depend on the season as well as your energy level!

Pssst...I'm going for the jarred stuff.

Add whatever pesto you’re using to the pasta and the warmth of the noodles will make your kitchen smell amazing! It’s a great alternative to old school Italian salad dressing.

Step 3: Add chicken, cheese and tomatoes. Here’s where you can go crazy and use whatever tomatoes are growing in your garden or at the store.

If you don’t have fresh tomatoes, grab a jar of sun dried tomatoes and use those!

That’s it! Hit the top with a little cracked black pepper if you want, and dinner is on the table in 15 minutes!

How to store leftover pasta salad

Store in an airtight container, refrigerated for 2-3 days. Serve leftovers chilled.

What to serve with chicken pesto pasta salad

This pasta salad can be served warm or if you're looking for something cool and refreshing, serve it up as a cold pasta salad.

You can increase the amount of chicken for additional protein and it's a meal on it's own. It's delicious paired with a simple green salad!

FAQS

More Pasta Salad Recipes

• Caesar Pasta Salad with Kale
• Quick & Healthy Pasta Salad Recipes
• Tortellini Caprese Salad Cups

Give this chicken pesto and pasta salad a try and leave a comment or review below! I’d love to hear from you!