Chicken Pasta Salad

If there is one salad that you need to make this summer, then it has to be this chicken pasta sald with lemon parmesan dressing. Pasta, grillled chicken , tons of colourful veggies, fresh herbs and a lemony dressing that’s not too rich, it a complete package.

Usually I make a large batch and meal prep as this also store well.

Lemon parmesan dressing poured over cooked pasta, grilled chicken and veggies.

Does Chicken Pasta Salad sound like summer to you? Everytime I crave for a good chicken pasta salad, I keep coming back to this recipe. It a complete package with pasta, grilled chicken, colourful crunhy veggies and most importanlty a banging lemon parmesan dressing.

It’s fresh, flavorful and also filling, and it’s super easy to customize with whatever veggies or herbs I have on hand. I liteeraly add any salad veggies that I have on hand. It is always a crowd favourite in potlucks, BBQs as this goes well with just about any grilled meat.

Because you can make a big bowl of this salad and refrigerate it, I usually meal prep for a busy week ahead. It tastes great when it is chilled.

Coming to the lemon parmesan dressing – Let’s be honest, a mayo based rich salad dressing is not for everyday. Sometimes you need a light and refreshing dressing for a change. Good quality Olive oil, dijon mustard, red wine vinegar, garlic, sugar, pepper, and lemon juice. This lemon dressing is versatile and can be paired with many greens and veggies. I have also shared a simple salad with a similar vinaigrette – White bean salad with lemon vinaigrette.

For the grilled chicken, check out our recipe – Easy Grilled Chicken with Buttermilk Marinade or I have a quick one in the recipe card below.

Grilled chicken pasta salad with chopped veggies

Ingredients

This Salad has tones of texture that come from the different ingredients.

Chicken: grilled chicken/ rotesseri chicken or any lefover chicken would work. If you don’t have any, then you can cook it from scracth with an amazing seasoning recipe I have included below.
Pasta: My preference is either fusilli or any short pasta like penne or ziti, as its easier to eat alsong with veggies.
Vegetables: Cucumber, onion, tomatoes, and peppers. Cut them into bite-sized pieces.

For the lemon Parmesan Dressing

Lemon juice – Fresh lemon juice for a tangy fresh dressing.
Olive oil – no substitute for good quality extra-virgin olive oil. A good olive oil makes a great dressing.
Parmesan– Not pre packed bottled stuff please. freshly grated from a block of cheese. For a creamier dressing use finely grated (not shredded) parmesan.
Dijon mustard
Dried oregano – You can use any dried herb or skip it as we also have option to add plenty of fresh herbs in the salad.
Garlic clove – Fresh garlic for best flavour but powder will also do.
Honey/maple syrup – Not that it will make the dressing sweet. it balances the tangy and bitter lemon juice.
Salt & pepper – salt helps all the flavors pop out and pepper gives you that little kick. Use as per your tolerance levels.

Making of chicken pasta salad

Cook pasta al dante

Cook the pasta in a big pot as per the instructions mentioned in the packet. Make sure to add generous amounts of salt to season the pasta. Once you drain the liquid from the pasta, with a strainer, rinse the cooked pasta in cold water. This stops further cooking and prevents it from becoming too soft.

Prep the veggies

Chop the veggies like cucumber, onions, tomatoes, and peppers into bite-sized pieces. I recommend bite-sized so you get some veggies, some pasta, and chicken too in each spoonful. You can cut and store the veggies a day or two ahead of time.

Make the dressing

Put everything in a jar, seal it tightly, and shake vigorously. The oil will start to emulsify and make the mixture creamy. Stay well in the refrigerator for upto a week.

Lemon parmesan dressing pouring on pasta and chopped veggies.

Grill chicken

Pound chicken breast with a tenderizer to ensure uniform thickness. Season it with Italian seasoning,salt, paprika, and garlic powder, and coat the seasoning all around.

On a hot grill pan, cook the breasts for up to 5 minutes on each side. Take off the pan and cover it with foil. Let it rest for 5 minutes. Take the foil off and cut it into chunks.

Assemble

To a large bowl, add chopped grilled chicken, cooked pasta, and chopped vegetables. Pour the salad dressing all over and toss everything until the see the veggies, pasta, and chicken get coated with the dressing.

Tips

After pasta is cooked, make sure it is compltely cool before making the salad.
Cooked pasta when sits for a long time, it tends to stick together. To separate just sprinkle little cold water and loosen the pasta.
Keep in mind that veggies leaves water and becomes soggy/less crispy after you toss in the dressing. If you prefer crispy veggies, then add them just before serving and toss with the dressing.

Store

You can make ahead a big batch of the dressing and keep it for up to a week in the refrigerator.

A perfect salad to make for a crowd. Prep the veggies, cook the pasta, and make the dressing ahead. If you are going to serve the salad within a few hours then mix the dressing and let it soak the dressing for 30 minutes – 1 hour. But if you are planning to make a day ahead then it is better to mix the dressing 1 hour before serving.