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    Home » Recipes » Salad

    Cold Chicken Pasta Salad with Pesto

    Published: Jun 11, 2019 · Modified: Jan 31, 2023 by Maria Doss · This post may contain affiliate links · 2 Comments

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    This Chicken Pesto Pasta Salad Recipe is packed with jazzed up rotisserie chicken, pasta, basil pesto, cherry tomatoes and toasted pecans - Perfect for lunch, summer barbecues or picnics.

    If your family loves pasta dishes for dinner just like ours, then you might love this Shrimp Alfredo, Penne Alla Vodka, Spaghetti Aglio E Olio, Instant Pot Pesto pasta or Instant pot Shrimp Pasta.

    As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs we earn a small commission from qualifying purchases through our affiliate link. For more information read our Non-Disclosure Agreement.

    CREAMY CHICKEN PESTO PASTA SALAD

    This post was originally published on 06/11/2019 but modified on 02/22/2022 to add more details. However, the recipe, photos and video remains the same.

    Welcome to the second post on leftover rotisserie series - Cheap, convenient and the meat can be used in endless possibilities <--- lunch, dinner, snack and even summer barbecues.

    Chicken Pesto Pasta Salad

    Ain't your old school pasta salad with chicken mixed in. It is simple with just 6 main, but carefully selected ingredients that give wonderful flavor and texture. The dressing is made with a creamy pesto mixture. It has a hint of spice, creaminess from mayo, crunch from pecans, juicy tomatoes with hearty sautéed chicken ----> So Satisfying!

    The Secret Technique

    The technique in making this Not-ANOTHER-BORING chicken pasta salad is that, shredded rotisserie chicken is sautéed in a skillet with a touch olive oil, salt and pepper. Chicken gets golden and crispy around the edges, adding more flavor and making it much more delicious. This recipe is a great way to use leftover ingredients, perfect for meal prep, school or work lunch, picnics and summer bbqs.

    Ingredients

    1. Chicken - We use rotisserie chicken for convenience. Chopped meat is sautéed with olive oil, salt and pepper and cooled down before tossing into the salad. You could totally skip this step, but why would you when you could add so much additional flavor?
    2. Pasta -  I preferred to use penne variety since we use a lot of it around here, like this Chicken Parmesan Pasta . But, you could totally use any other type of short noodle.
    3. Basil Pesto - Store bought basil pesto for convenience. Got more pesto? Try this Potato Pesto Grilled Cheese  or Pesto Caprese Toast
    4. Mayo - Creamy goodness
    5. Cherry tomatoes - Fresh, vibrant, sweet, tart addition!
    6. Toasted Pecans - Gives a nutty, crunchy addition. Skip if you don't have any.

    Can I use other types of chicken ? 

    ABSOLUTELY! Here are your alternatives:

    • Toss boneless, skinless thighs with a touch of olive oil, salt and pepper. Bake in a pre heated 400 degree oven for about 15-20 minutes, until cooked through. Cool, chop into pieces.
    • Chop boneless skinless thighs or breasts into small chunks and season with salt and pepper. Heat one or two tablespoon olive oil in a non-stick or cast iron skillet. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until cooked through. Cool.
    • Any leftover cooked Italian-style chicken (without much seasoning) from last night's dinner.
    CREAMY CHICKEN PESTO PASTA SALAD
    CREAMY CHICKEN PESTO PASTA SALAD

    Tips for success

    Use any type of pasta shape you have around.

    Make sure that the cooked pasta and chicken are both cooled to room temperature before mixing the salad.

    Feel free to mix in any Italian ingredients like Sun dried tomatoes, olives, red onion, chopped garlic (cook along with chicken) to the dish.

    Can this be made ahead? 

    A great recipe to be make ahead. Refrigerate in an air tight container for up to 5 days.

    Can you Freeze it?

    Unfortunately, pasta salads using mayo are not a good candidate for the freezer. Too many of the ingredients just don’t hold up well - Mayonnaise separates and fresh tomatoes turn to icky mush. But don’t you worry, there will probably not any leftovers remaining.

    Serve at room temperature

    This is a really great summer staple. We love it both at room temperature (I think it tastes a touch better at room temperature) or cold. The dressing does not get pasty when cold and you can taste the flavors as well.

    CREAMY CHICKEN PESTO PASTA SALAD

    How to make?

    Cook pasta - Cook until al dente and cool or use leftover cooked noodles.

    Saute chicken - Chop rotisserie chicken into bite size pieces, and stir fry with a dash of olive oil, salt and pepper, cool completely.

    Toast Pecans - Place pecans in sheet pan and bake for 5-10 minutes in a pre heated 350 degree oven, until toasted. Cool and chop.

    Finish - Stir together pasta, meat, basil pesto, mayo, halved cherry tomatoes, toasted pecans, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper.

    Refrigerate if not serving right away.

    CREAMY CHICKEN PESTO PASTA SALAD
    CREAMY CHICKEN PESTO PASTA SALAD
    CREAMY CHICKEN PESTO PASTA SALAD

    More Chicken Pasta recipes to try

    • Penne alla vodka
    • Alfredo Pasta Casserole
    • Pink Sauce Chicken Pasta
    • Baked Ziti with ground Chicken
    • Spicy Pasta
    • Butter Chicken Pasta
    • Creamy Pesto pasta
    • Parmesan Pasta
    • Instant pot Alfredo
    CREAMY CHICKEN PESTO PASTA SALAD

    Cold Chicken Pasta Salad with Pesto

    This Chicken Pesto Pasta Salad Recipe is packed with jazzed up rotisserie chicken, pasta, basil pesto, cherry tomatoes and toasted pecans - Perfect for lunch, summer barbecues or picnics.
    4.79 from 14 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 5 minutes
    Cook Time: 13 minutes
    Total Time: 18 minutes
    Author: Maria Doss

    Ingredients

    • 6 ounces penne pasta or any other dried short pasta
    • 2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
    • 1 tablespoon olive oil
    • 6 ounces cherry tomatoes, halved
    • 6 tablespoons basil pesto
    • ½ (scant) cup mayonnaise
    • ¼ cup toasted pecans, chopped
    • 1 pinch red pepper flakes
    • salt and ground black pepper, as needed
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    Cook pasta

    • Bring 2 quarts of salted water to a boil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the pasta and cook until al dente — soft with just a bit of chew — 7-8 minutes or according to package directions. Meanwhile, prepare an ice bath in a large bowl.
      Quickly cool the pasta. Drain the pasta in a colander and run under cold water. Dunk the colander in the ice bath and set aside to cool for 5 minutes. Drain the pasta very well. 

    Cook Chicken

    • Toss rotisserie chicken with olive oil, a pinch of salt and pepper in a non-stick or cast iron skillet. Place pan over high heat and cook, stirring occasionally until chicken is slightly crisped and gets golden brown bits. 
      Transfer to a bowl and let cool completely. 

    Make creamy chicken pesto pasta salad

    • Add cooked pasta, sautéed chicken, halved cherry tomatoes, toasted pecans, basil pesto, mayo, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Toss well. 
      Serve immediately or refrigerate until serving time or pack into meal prep containers and store in the refrigerator. 

    Notes

    Toast pecans - Place pecans in sheet pan and bake for 5-10 minutes in a pre-heated 350 degree oven, until toasted. Cool and chop.
     

    Nutritional information is based on third party calculations, should be considered estimates and not be construed as a guarantee. Varying factors such as product types, brands purchased, produce, the way ingredients are processed and more change the nutritional information in any recipe.

    Did you make this recipe?Mention @KitchenAtHoskins or tag #kitchenathoskins!

    Some of the links above are affiliate links, which pay me a small commission for my referral at no extra cost to you! I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. Thank you for supporting kitchenathoskins.com

    All contents and images are my original work, unless and otherwise mentioned. Please do not use my recipes or images without linking back to www.kitchenathoskins.com. If you wish to republish a recipe, please rewrite in your own words and don’t forget to include a link back to the original recipe.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Kelly @ Kelly Lynns Sweets and Treats

      June 11, 2019 at 5:07 pm

      5 stars
      Totally love that you sautéed the chicken in olive oil for extra flavor! This pasta looks amazing. Makes me want to go on a picnic and make this to eat!

      Reply
    2. Katherine | Love In My Oven

      June 14, 2019 at 7:11 pm

      5 stars
      I"m often at a loss of what to do with my leftover rotisserie chicken. This is such a great way to use it up! It looks delicious, and who doesn't like pasta salad!?

      Reply

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    Maria Doss
    Maria Doss

    I am Maria Doss, the recipe creator, photographer and writer behind Kitchen at Hoskins. Here you'll find lots of creative recipes that use clever techniques or flavor profiles. It might intertwine two cuisines together to create a perfect blend or use an innovative technique.
    About Maria ->

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