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Chicken Pasta Salad Recipe

Chicken Pasta Salad packed with grilled chicken, veggies, and a herb dressing is all you need for the summer picnic, potluck, or backyard BBQ dinner.
Prep Time30 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Course: Salad
Cuisine: Italian
Servings: 4
Calories: 490kcal
Author: Hina Gujral

Equipment

Ingredients

Ingredients For Salad:

  • 2 Cup dry fusilli pasta
  • 1 Cup grilled chicken, boneless and diced (see recipe notes)
  • 1 Cup chopped onion
  • ½ Cup cherry tomato, cut into halves
  • 1 Cup diced cucumber
  • ¼ Cup sliced black olives
  • ½ Cup diced chicken salami
  • ¼ Cup diced red bell pepper
  • ¼ Cup diced yellow bell pepper

Ingredients For Herb Dressing:

  • ½ Cup flat parsley
  • ¼ Cup fresh mint leaves
  • 4 garlic cloves
  • 1 jalapeno or green chili, deseeded
  • ¼ Cup walnuts
  • 2 tablespoon plain mayonnaise
  • ¼ Cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon White Wine Vinegar
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 2 tablespoon lemon juice

Ingredients For Garnish:

  • 1 tablespoon roughly chopped parsley
  • ¼ Cup grated parmesan cheese

Instructions

Prep Work:

  • Boil fusilli pasta in salted water al dente as per packet instructions. Once cooked, drain and transfer in a colander. Rinse with cold water. Set aside.
  • Chop vegetables, salami, and other ingredients for the salad. Keep in the fridge until required.
  • Dice the grilled chicken into bite size pieces for the salad (refer recipe notes for grilling chicken from scratch).

Prepare Dressing:

  • Combine all the ingredients for dressing in a blender or mixer. Blend to get a smooth herb dressing. Taste and adjust seasoning accordingly.

Assemble Salad:

  • Combine boiled pasta, vegetables, salami, chicken, and other ingredients in a salad mixing bowl. Pour herb dressing over the salad. Mix the salad gently to coat evenly with the dressing.
  • Refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving. Garnish with chopped parsley and cheese.

Notes

  • Boiling Pasta: Boil 6 cups of water with salt. Add dry pasta and cook till pasta is al dente. Once done, transfer to a colander. Rinse with cold water. Let it sit in the colander until required or store it in the refrigerator. 
  • Grilling Chicken: Take boneless chicken breasts or thighs. Clean, wash and pat dry them. Using a meat pounder, pound them to an even thickness. Marinate chicken breast with olive oil, crushed garlic, fresh thyme, salt, pepper, and chili flakes. Rub the herbs and spices all over the chicken breast. Keep in the fridge until ready to grill. For grilling, bring the marinated chicken to room temperature. Heat a pan over a high flame. Do not put any oil. Place the chicken breast on the hot pan. Reduce the heat to medium. Cook chicken for approximately 5 minutes on both sides.
  • Herb Dressing: You can use a combination of different herbs like basil, parsley, coriander, or dill to make this dressing. 
  • Storing Salad: This salad is not freezer friendly. Store it in the refrigerator for 1 - 2 days. 

Nutrition

Calories: 490kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 30g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 15g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 47mg | Sodium: 658mg | Potassium: 535mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 1401IU | Vitamin C: 58mg | Calcium: 123mg | Iron: 2mg