Chicken Pesto Pasta Salad
A hearty, delicious salad that is satisfying enough as a main course but also a delicious side dish.
Servings: 6 servings
Ingredients
- 12 ounces uncooked pasta rotini, fusili, penne, or cellantoni
- 1 cup pesto
- 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 2 cups chopped cooked chicken
- 8 ounces cherry tomatoes, halved
- 2 cups baby spinach, roughly chopped
- ¼ chiffonade basil thinly sliced basil
- ¼ cup parmesan cheese
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Cook the pasta according to package directions. Once the pasta is fully cooked, rinse with cold water, drain, and cool.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the pesto, olive oil, and lemon juice.
- Add the cooled pasta, cooked chicken, tomatoes, spinach with the pesto mix.
- Chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes and up to overnight before serving.
- Garnish with basil and parmesan, and season with black pepper just before serving.
Notes
Makes approximately 4 main course servings and 6 side dish servings.
Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Nutrition
Calories: 497kcal | Carbohydrates: 48g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 39mg | Sodium: 533mg | Potassium: 465mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 2008IU | Vitamin C: 14mg | Calcium: 133mg | Iron: 2mg