Description
Creamy Chicken Pesto Pasta Salad combines pasta, tender chicken, and fresh veggies in a rich Greek yogurt dressing, making it a delightful choice for a quick meal.
Ingredients
Scale
- 8 oz short gluten-free or regular pasta of choice, bowtie or penne
- 2 cups chopped cooked chicken
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered or halved
- ½ cup red onion, finely diced
- ½ cup mozzarella pearls or chopped fresh mozzarella balls
- 2–3 cups fresh baby spinach or arugula, roughly chopped
- ¾ cup plain full-fat Greek yogurt
- 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons shredded parmesan cheese
- 1 tablespoon mayo, preferably avocado oil mayo
- 3 teaspoons dash pasta blend garlic pesto seasoning
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ teaspoon honey
- ½ teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- Handful of baby spinach
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
- Cook pasta until al dente. Drain and rinse with cold water to cool. Set aside.
- Add Greek yogurt, fresh basil, lemon juice, Parmesan, mayo, seasoning blend, garlic, honey, salt, pepper, and fresh spinach to a blender or food processor.
- Blend until smooth and creamy.
- In a large bowl, combine the cooled pasta, chicken, tomatoes, red onion, mozzarella, and greens.
- Pour the dressing over the salad and toss until everything is well coated.
- Serve right away or keep in the fridge until ready to serve. For meal prep, portion salad into 4 meal prep containers.
Notes
For extra flavor, add more garlic or additional herbs.
This salad can be made ahead and stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Feel free to substitute the pasta with a gluten-free option if needed.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 430
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 600mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 42g
- Fiber: 5g
- Protein: 28g
- Cholesterol: 80mg