Chicken Pesto Pasta Salad

Chicken pesto pasta salad is a chilled pesto pasta dish tossed with tender pieces of chicken, juicy cherry tomatoes, cheese and lemon. It’s an easy main or side for any meal.

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Chicken and pesto go together like peanut butter and jelly.

I mean it’s an Italian American classic with dishes like Pesto Chicken Salad and Chicken Spaghetti Pesto.

So this chicken pesto pasta salad is all kinds of delicious.

Plus it’s the perfect summer meal or side.

It’s served cold so you don’t need to worry about cooking when the temperature rises.

And you can make a big batch and just pull it out of the fridge for an easy meal for a few days running.

Which makes it perfect for meal prep or busy days.

Ingredients and Kitchen Supplies

Here’s what you need for chicken pesto pasta salad:

• Cooked Chicken – We often use rotisserie chicken for ease, but you can use most any leftover chicken, like our grilled Italian chicken.
• Pesto Sauce – You can easily make your own traditional pesto or pesto sauce with walnuts, or you can use store-bought pesto. Or, if you want, you can use our lemon pesto sauce.
• Rotini Pasta – You can use just about any cooled short pasta, like bowties, penne, or even macaroni.
• Fresh Mozzarella – Fresh mozzarella cut into small cubes adds some extra flavor and protein to the pesto chicken pasta salad. You could also use the mozzarella pearls to save you cutting it.
• Parmesan Cheese – We like to use flakes or shredded, but you could use the grated stuff if you prefer.
• Lemon Juice – For added freshness, we squeeze in some fresh lemon juice. Super important if you use store bought pesto to brighten it up a bit and add that little hint of acidity.
• Cherry Tomatoes – Cherry tomatoes are easy to get ready for the pasta since you generally only need to cut them in half. You could use roma tomatoes, but you will need to cut them more.

You really do not need any specialized equipment for chicken pesto pasta salad unless you plan to make the pesto fresh. Here are helpful tools:

• Food Processor (only need if you plan to make the pesto sauce from scratch)
• Sharp knife
• Cutting board
• Measuring cups (you know you hate it when bloggers tell you to “measure with your heart” so make sure you get out the measuring cups so you don’t do that nonsense)

How to Make Chicken Pesto Pasta Salad

1. Prepare the ingredients.

If you have not already, cook your pasta according to the directions on the box.

You will want to cook them to be soft but slightly firm on the inside (al dente).

Once it fully cooks, drain and rinse, allowing it to cool completely.

While the pasta cools, cut up the mozzarella into small bite-sized pieces.

Slice the tomatoes in half or into quarters if they are larger.

Cut the cool chicken into small bite-sized cubes or pieces (they don’t have to be perfect).

2. Toss the ingredients together.

In a small bowl, mix the lemon juice and pesto together.

Place all the ingredients into a large mixing bowl.

Use a spoon or tongs to fully mix the chicken pesto pasta salad.

3. Serve.

Dish out the pasta salad onto plates or into bowls.

Serve cool with additional cheese on top if desired.

Storing Leftovers

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 to 4 days, depending on when you made or bought your chicken.

You don’t want to keep the chicken longer than 4 days passed the day you cooked it.

Keep in mind, as this pesto pasta salad sits in the fridge, the noodles will absorb the pesto sauce.

You can revive it by tossing it with a few more tablespoons of pesto, tossing it with some extra lemon juice or balsamic vinegar, or stirring in some olive oil.

Tips and Tricks

• Want this to be more filling? Substitute cheese tortellini for the pasta like in this Caprese Tortellini Pasta Salad.
• Not a chicken fan? Skip it. You don’t need to add protein if it is not your thing.
• Toss in pine nuts or chopped walnuts for more texture.
• Want more veggie action going on in here? Add some roasted zucchini or even roasted red peppers.
• And speaking of veggies, not into slicing cherry tomatoes? Go ahead and substitute sun dried tomatoes. You could use the dry packed kind in the bag or the kind packed in oil from a jar.
• Though this is delicious as is, you could also serve it with a little drizzle of balsamic reduction. You can buy some here or make your own.

Did you make this? Let me know!

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