Description
A vibrant and fresh pasta salad, perfect for picnics and gatherings, featuring al dente pasta, diced chicken, colorful veggies, and zesty Italian dressing.
Ingredients
Scale
- 8 oz pasta (your choice)
- 2 cups cooked chicken, diced
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 cucumber, diced
- 1 bell pepper, chopped
- 1/4 red onion, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup olives, sliced
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 1/4 cup Italian dressing (homemade or store-bought)
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook the Pasta: In a large pot, bring salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Drain well and allow the pasta to cool.
- Combine Ingredients: In your large mixing bowl, combine the cooled pasta, diced chicken, halved cherry tomatoes, diced cucumber, chopped bell pepper, thinly sliced red onion, sliced olives, and freshly chopped parsley.
- Dress it Up: Drizzle the Italian dressing over your pasta salad. Gently toss everything together, making sure each ingredient gets beautifully coated.
- Season to Taste: Season with salt and pepper to your liking. Give it a final toss to incorporate the seasoning throughout.
- Chill and Serve: Allow the salad to chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before serving.
Notes
This salad can be made a day in advance to deepen the flavors. Customize with veggies you have on hand. For a lighter option, substitute chicken with chickpeas.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 400mg
- Fat: 15g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 20g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 25g
- Cholesterol: 60mg