Chicken Pasta Salad

large pink bowl with all ingredients needed to make a pasta salad.

This Chicken Pasta Salad is packed with flavor, texture and is irresistible! Leftover chicken is seared until crispy golden brown, and then tossed in a creamy pesto sauce along with penne pasta, cherry tomatoes and toasted pecans - A terrific combination of flavors and is ready in under 30 minutes.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword chicken pasta salad

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 15

Total Time 30

Servings servings

Calories 885kcal

Author Maria Doss

Ingredients

8 ounces penne pasta
4 cups diced rotisserie chicken
1 ½ tablespoons olive oil
2 cups halved or quartered cherry tomatoes (depending on the size)
¾ cup basil pesto
½ cup mayonnaise
½ cup toasted pecans, chopped
2 pinch red pepper flakes (optional)
salt and ground black pepper, as needed

Instructions

Cook pasta

Bring large pot of water to boil. Add salt then add pasta. Cook about one minute longer than the packet directions. Drain pasta, immediately rinse under cold running water, let excess water drain and let cool.
Pro Tip: Cook your penne beyond al dente but not mushy. Pasta firms up when it cools, especially when refrigerated. A slightly softer noodle will be the perfect texture in this salad recipe, that's best served at room temperature.
( I like to cook chicken while waiting for the water to come to a boil. )

Cook Chicken

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add chicken and give a good toss.
Cook for 3 to 5 minutes (depending on the heat), tossing occasionally until most of pieces get a golden crusty exterior. Transfer to a plate and let cool completely.
Pro tip: Cook over high heat and don't stir too much, to make sure that the meat has enough time to be in contact with the hot pan, to develop a beautiful color. A well browned meat has a richer and more varied flavor profile.

Finish

Add cooked pasta, chicken, cherry tomatoes, toasted pecans, pesto, mayo, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Toss well.

Video

Notes

Pesto - Buy your jarred pesto from the refrigerated section of the grocery store and not from the shelves in aisles. It tastes so much fresher!

Want to keep it vegetarian? Cook drained and rinsed canned chickpeas instead of chicken.

Season to taste - This creamy chicken pasta salad recipe has enough seasonings from rotisserie chicken, cooked penne and basil pesto. So season according to your taste.

Use toasted pecans - It has so much more flavor and crunch when compared to the raw ones. To toast pecans, place them in sheet pan and bake for 5 to 10 minutes in a pre heated 350 degree oven or you begin to smell the fragrance or it turns slightly darker in color.

Nutrition