The Best Italian Pasta Salad
If you’re wondering what to make for your next picnic, potluck, summer barbecue, or for something you can make that the whole family will love (and that you’ll likely have plenty of leftovers for a few lunches for the week), look no further than this easy pasta salad recipe. There’s tender chicken, al dente pasta, crisp-tender vegetables, all perfumed with Italian seasoning and Italian dressing for the perfect punch of flavor. You can serve it warm, at room temp, or chilled, and since there’s no mayo it’s great for those outdoor events!
What’s in Italian Chicken Pasta Salad?
To make this easy pasta salad that’s ready in 30 minutes, you’ll need:
Rotini pasta Olive oil White or yellow onion Boneless skinless chicken breast Italian seasoning Garlic Carrots Zucchini Red and yellow bell peppers Italian salad dressing Italian flat-leaf parsley Lemon juice
Note: Scroll down to the recipe card section of the post for the ingredients with amounts included and for more complete directions.
How to Make Italian Chicken Pasta Salad
This is an incredibly easy pasta salad with Italian dressing and chicken. Follow these straightforward instructions:
Recipe Variations to Try
While I used the ingredients outlined above, feel free to mix-and-match based on what you have on hand and what you prefer. This is a very flexible recipe. Some ideas and suggestions you can use to change up this pasta salad recipe with Italian dressing include:
Different pasta shapes (more on that in the next section below) Tomatoes of any kind (Roma, heirloom, grape, cherry) Cucumbers Lettuces or greens Yellow squash Cucumbers (English or regular) Fresh herbs (omit the parsley and add basil or oregano) Cheese (Parmesan, a shredded cheese medley, feta, goat, or your favorite)
What’s the Best Pasta for Pasta Salad?
I used rotini because that’s what I had on hand but any small-shaped pasta will work great including bow tie, ziti, penne, small elbow macaroni, or similar. I’d steer clear of spaghetti and long noodle-type pastas for this pasta salad.
How to Store Italian Chicken Pasta Salad
This Italian chicken pasta salad keeps in the fridge for up to five days if stored in an air-tight container or in the freezer for up to 4 months. Because it makes a big batch, it’s nice to be able to freeze the leftovers for rainy days in the future when you may need a grab-and-go lunch or dinner. The texture of the vegetables will be a bit softer after being frozen and then thawed, but they’re perfectly tasty.
Tips for Making Pasta Salad with Italian Dressing
For me, the carryover heat from the warm pasta and chicken is sufficient to lightly soften the vegetables. I prefer my vegetables to have some crunch and this is how to preserve it. Note that the vegetables will soften even more as time passes if this sits as leftovers in your fridge but if you absolutely want them more cooked, add all of them to the skillet when the chicken is about 50% cooked through. Because this is such a big batch of food with one pound of pasta and two pounds of chicken, plus the vegetables, my advice is to not be shy about adding salt and pepper so that this isn’t bland. I added much more than the 1 teaspoon called for with both salt and pepper, but as always, I recommend you season to your tastes.
More Easy Pasta Salad Recipes:
The Best Pasta Salad Recipes – There’s something for everyone in this collection of FAST and EASY pasta salad recipes!! Whether you need something to bring to a potluck or picnic, or are in need of a no-fuss weeknight meal the whole family will enjoy, these recipes have you covered!! Tried this recipe? Leave a review! Consider leaving a 5 star rating if you’ve made and loved one of my recipes! Amish Pasta Salad — A family-favorite classic pasta salad recipe with al dente pasta, bell peppers, celery, red onions, and hard-boiled eggs tossed in a creamy tangy-sweet dressing!
