Chicken Pasta Salad
This chicken pasta salad recipe combines tender rotini, grilled chicken breast, and a creamy herb dressing in one bowl, and it comes together in about 30 minutes total.
Equipment
- Large stockpot - for boiling pasta
- Colander - for draining pasta
- Large mixing bowl - with enough room to toss everything without spilling
- Skillet or Grill Pan - for cooking the chicken
- Meat thermometer - instant-read
- Whisk - for the dressing
- Airtight storage container - with lid, for leftovers
- OXO Good Grips Salad Spinner - recommended, optional
- Cuisinart Boxed Grater - recommended, optional
- Lodge Cast Iron Skillet - recommended, optional
- Rubbermaid Brilliance Storage Containers - recommended, optional
- Microplane Garlic Press - recommended, optional
Ingredients
- 1 lb rotini pasta - 450g
- 1½ lbs boneless skinless chicken breast - 680g
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- salt and black pepper - to taste
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes - halved
- 1 English cucumber - diced
- 1 red bell pepper - diced
- ½ small red onion - finely diced
- 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese - cubed or shredded (freshly grated preferred)
- 6 slices bacon - cooked and crumbled (thick-cut preferred)
- ¼ cup fresh parsley - chopped
For the Dressing
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 clove garlic - minced
- 1 teaspoon honey
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a rolling boil. Cook 1 lb rotini according to package directions until al dente.
- Drain the pasta and rinse briefly under cold water to stop cooking and cool it down. Shake off excess water and set aside.
- Pat 1½ lbs chicken breast dry. Season both sides with 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, and salt and pepper.
- Heat a skillet over medium-high heat and cook the chicken for 6 to 7 minutes per side, until internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C). Let it rest for 5 minutes before cubing.
- Cook 6 slices of bacon in a skillet over medium heat until crisp, about 6 to 8 minutes, flipping once. Drain on paper towels and crumble.
- Halve the cherry tomatoes, dice the cucumber and bell pepper, finely dice the red onion, and chop the parsley.
- In a small bowl, whisk together 1 cup mayonnaise, ¼ cup sour cream, 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar, 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, minced garlic, and 1 teaspoon honey until smooth.
- In a large bowl, combine cooled pasta, cubed chicken, tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper, red onion, cheddar, and half of the bacon. Pour dressing over and toss to coat evenly.
- Sprinkle remaining bacon and parsley on top. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving. Toss gently before serving.
Notes
- Cook the pasta until just al dente. Overcooked pasta turns mushy once it absorbs the dressing and sits in the fridge.
- Rinse the pasta in cold water to stop the cooking process and keep the noodles from sticking together.
- Let the chicken cool completely before cubing it. Adding hot chicken to the salad will warm the dressing and make it thinner.
- Cut all vegetables to a similar size so every forkful has a balance of pasta, chicken, and vegetables.
- Don't skip the resting time for the dressing. Chilling for at least 30 minutes lets the flavors blend properly.
- Reserve a little dressing. Pasta continues to soak up dressing as it sits, so holding back two or three tablespoons to stir in before serving keeps the salad from looking dry.
- Salt the pasta water generously. It's the only chance you get to season the pasta itself.
- Use freshly grated cheese instead of pre-shredded for the best texture. Pre-shredded cheese is coated in anti-caking starch that prevents it from blending into the dressing.
- Rotisserie chicken works as a shortcut if you don't want to cook the chicken breast yourself; you'll need about 3 cups shredded or cubed.
- English cucumber is preferred over regular cucumber because it has fewer seeds and doesn't release as much water into the salad.
Nutrition
Serving: 1servingCalories: 512kcalCarbohydrates: 38gProtein: 32gFat: 25gSaturated Fat: 7gPolyunsaturated Fat: 6gMonounsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 95mgSodium: 620mgPotassium: 480mgFiber: 2gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 15IUVitamin C: 45mgCalcium: 15mgIron: 10mg
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