This classy chicken pasta salad is sure to impress with its tantalizing twist on bruschetta! It’s a quick and easy lunch, dinner or potluck favorite with a cook time of less than 15 minutes AND it’s prep ahead friendly. This chicken pasta salad recipe will fill you up without weighing you down with a fresh, hypnotic blend of tangy balsamic, herbaceous basil and aromatic garlic with bright pops of tomatoes, juicy balsamic chicken, nutty Parmesan, buttery mozzarella and a sprinkling of crunchy croutons.
You will love this Easy Chicken Pasta Salad
Pasta Salad with Chicken Ingredients
This Chicken Salad recipe is made with easy-to-find ingredients. Let’s take a closer look at what you’ll need (full recipe in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post):
FOR THE Pasta Salad:
For the vinaigrette:
Italian Chicken Pasta Salad variations
There is no right or wrong way to make this easy Chicken Pasta Salad recipe as long as it’s right for YOU! Try using a different pasta, mixing up the vegetables, etc.
How to make Pasta Salad with Chicken
This Chicken Pasta Salad is easy to make in just a few steps. Let’s take a closer look below (full recipe in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post):
make ahead chicken pasta salad recipe
Combine all of the chicken pasta salad ingredients together in a bowl EXCEPT for the croutons and vinaigrette. Cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Refrigerate the vinaigrette separately. When ready to serve, toss the salad with the dressing and season to taste.
TIPS FOR making the best Chicken Pasta Salad
Make this Chicken Pasta Salad the best tips and tricks:
How to serve Chicken and Pasta Salad
This Chicken Pasta Salad is a show stopping side dish perfect for any summer gathering or a light lunch or dinner any time of year! Here are some dishes it pairs well with:
How to store Cold Pasta Salad with Chicken
Cover leftover chicken pasta salad with plastic wrap or transfer it to an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. The longer the pasta salad is refrigerated, the blander it will become.
To prevent this, only add dressing to the pasta salad you are eating immediately. Otherwise, plan on seasoning leftovers with additional salt, pepper, balsamic, etc.
FAQs for this Italian Chicken Pasta Salad
Pasta should be cool for making creamy chicken pasta salad, otherwise the dressing will break and become runny. When using a vinaigrette dressing, however, it’s best to toss the pasta with the dressing when slightly warm so it soaks up more flavor from the dressing.
Yes, rinse the pasta under cold tap water to prevent it from cooking further and to cool it down quickly. Let the pasta drain well before proceeding with the recipe.
The vinaigrette should be added to the chicken pasta salad right before serving, otherwise, the pasta will soak up all of the dressing and the salad will taste bland. If your leftovers are bland, season with additional salt/pepper and a drizzle of balsamic.
Chicken Pasta Salad is best served at room temperature, but don’t let it sit out more than two hours. If pasta salad is served straight from the refrigerator, you will taste the chill of subdued flavors. Instead, pasta salad served at room temperature allows the flavors and dressing shine.
Yes, you should always salt your pasta water, whether making chicken pasta Salad or a warmed pasta dish. Salting the water is the one chance you have to penetrate the pasta and enhance the subtle pasta flavor – you can taste the difference. Use 1 tablespoon salt for 6 quarts of water when cooking one pound of pasta.
First, use enough pasta water when cooking the pasta. Fill a large pot with a very generous amount of water, typically 6 quarts of water for 1 pound of pasta; this is typically three-quarters full. Pasta needs enough water to cook evenly and to move around so it doesn’t clump. Second, toss the cooked, drained pasta in a tablespoon of oil before adding the dressing.
Legendary Italian Chicken Pasta Salad (Bruschetta Style) — Faster Than Takeout
Tired of spending an hour in the kitchen only to hear ‘meh’ from your family? This bright, punchy, and zesty Italian Chicken Pasta Salad (Bruschetta Style) fixes that permanently. It is on your table in under 30 minutes, loaded with wholesome, budget-friendly pantry ingredients, and completely beginner-friendly with zero cooking experience needed. Every forkful is dangerously indulgent and absolutely worth every single bite. Pin this!
- Category: Lunch Recipes
- Method: Baking
Ingredients
with chewy pasta, nutty Parmesan and buttery mozzarella for INSANELY DELICIUS CHICKEN PASTA SALAD!
BALSAMIC VINAIGRETTE: No heavy pasta salad here! The balsamic vinaigrette is seeping with complex savory, tangy, slightly sweet, herbaceous notes that is dizzyingly delicious.
JUICY, FLAVORFUL CHICKEN: The chunks of chicken are tossed in some of the balsamic vinaigrette while you prep your pasta salad ingredients for extra tender, extra flavorful chicken.
CUSTOMIZABLE: Make the dressing as sweet or tangy as you like, add your favorite veggies, add more or less cheese or omit altogether to make it YOUR Best Chicken Pasta Salad recipe.
MAKE AHEAD FRIENDLY: The pasta salad and the vinaigrette can be prepared separately then tossed when ready to serve.
Pasta Salad with Chicken Ingredients
This Chicken Salad recipe is made with easy-to-find ingredients. Let’s take a closer look at what you’ll need (full recipe in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post):
FOR THE Pasta Salad:
Pasta: Any medium pasta shape will work like cavatappi pasta, farfalle, fusilli or rotini.
Chicken: Use boneless chicken breasts or boneless skinless chicken thighs that have been cut into large bite-sized pieces.
Roma tomatoes: Choose ripe but not overly soft tomatoes. Slice them into wedges, then slice the seeds out before chopping.
Basil: Measure ¼ cup packed basil leaves and then chop it.
Garlic: Please use fresh garlic for this recipe!I use 6 cloves garlic for a real garlic kick, but use more or less depending on your garlic love.
Onion: ½ red onion adds a rich sweetness. You may substitute with shallots if needed.
Mozzarella pearls: Look for these with the specialty cheeses. If you can’t locate them, chop fresh mozzarella.
Parmesan cheese: This infuses the pasta salad with its fantastic salty, nuttiness. For best results, use ONLY freshly grated Parmesan cheese. It is much more flavorful than pre-shredded cheese.
Croutons: These represent the bread in bruschetta! Look for garlic herb croutons for extra flavor.
For the vinaigrette:
Balsamic vinegar: Look for balsamic Vinegar of Modena I.G.P.with the yellow-and-blue I.G.P. stamp (it shows two hillsides in a ring of stars). The vinegar can be designated “aged” if it has fermented for more than three years – a great sign. Some reputable brands include:ColavitaDue Vittorie Oro Gold,Oliviers & Co and my top recommendation: Giuseppe Giusti Gran Deposito.
Olive oil: Use quality extra virgin olive oil for the best flavor.
Honey: Mild clover honey balances out the tangy balsamic with a touch of sweetness.
Dijon mustardI promise it won’t make your chicken pasta salad recipe taste like mustard! It adds a depth of tanginess.
Spices: Dried oregano, dried basil, and red pepper flakes inject the vinaigrette with a rainbow of flavor. And yes, we want dried basil in addition to the fresh basil.
Italian Chicken Pasta Salad variations
There is no right or wrong way to make this easy Chicken Pasta Salad recipe as long as it’s right for YOU! Try using a different pasta, mixing up the vegetables, etc.
Use tortellini: Tortellini is one of my favorite pastas for salads!
Use rotisserie chicken: Use about 3 cups shredded chicken and toss it with 2 tablespoons marinade.
Swap protein: Use chicken sausage, roasted or sautéed shrimp or leftover chicken, pork, or steak. Toss protein with 2 tablespoons reserved dressing/marinade as instructed in the recipe.
Add veggies: Add anything your heart desires such as asparagus,mushrooms, zucchini, eggplant, bell peppers, green beans, broccoli, cauliflower, peas, or spinach.
Add-ins: Try sun-dried tomatoes,roasted bell peppers, artichokes, olives, capers, etc.
Add nuts: Pine nuts or sliced almonds would be delish.
Make it spicy: Increase the red pepper flakes to ½ teaspoon or add additional crushed red pepper flakes to individual servings.
Use additional Parmesan: Add more or less to taste depending on how Parmesan forward you would like your chicken pasta salad,
Make it dairy free: Omit the Parmesan and mozzarella or use your favorite dairy free substitutes.
Make it gluten-free: Use gluten-free pasta (Tinkyada is great brand), sweet potato noodles, zoodles or even spaghetti squash.
Make it vegetarian: Omit the chicken or swap it for tofu, mushrooms or additional vegetables.
Make it vegan: Use vegan honey or brown sugar in place of the honey and dairy free Parmesan cheese and mozzarella or omit the cheeses completely.
Instructions
in generously salted water. Drain and rinse the pasta, then transfer to a large bowl. Drizzle with one tablespoon of the untouched balsamic marinade to prevent the pasta from sticking together; set aside.
Step 3: Cook chicken. Cook chicken in a large skillet until cooked through; remove.
Step 4: Sauté aromatics. Add the red onions and garlic to the now empty skillet and sauté for two minutes.
Step 5: Add salad ingredients: Add the tomatoes, mozzarella, Parmesan and basil to the pasta in the bowl and toss until combined.
Step 6: Add dressing. Drizzle the vinaigrette over the salad when ready to serve. Top with croutons and dig in!
make ahead chicken pasta salad recipe
Combine all of the chicken pasta salad ingredients together in a bowl EXCEPT for the croutons and vinaigrette. Cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Refrigerate the vinaigrette separately. When ready to serve, toss the salad with the dressing and season to taste.