Creamy Chicken Pesto Pasta Salad
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This creamy chicken pesto pasta salad is lightened up with a Greek yogurt dressing but still rich and flavorful. It’s packed with protein, perfect for meal prep lunches or easy summer dinners, and a recipe the whole family will love.
I’ve always loved a good pesto pasta salad, but let’s be honest, traditional versions can get a little heavy. So I created a simple twist using a Greek yogurt based dressing and a pesto seasoning blend instead of traditional pesto.
Tossed with chicken, mozzarella, and fresh veggies, this version still has all those fresh, herby flavors, just in a way that feels a little more macro-friendly.
Table of Contents
Why I Love This Chicken Pesto Pasta Salad
- Lightened up: Made with a Greek yogurt dressing and pesto seasoning instead of traditional pesto, so you still get that rich, creamy texture without the heaviness.
- Packed with protein: Thanks to the chicken and Greek yogurt, this pasta salad actually keeps you full.
- Perfect for meal prep: Holds up well in the fridge and makes the best grab-and-go lunches.
- Family-friendly: Creamy, flavorful, and easy to customize with your favorite add-ins.
Ingredients Needed
- pasta – I recommend using a short pasta shape like bowtie, penne or rotini. I used Banza to make this recipe gluten-free and for a protein boost, but regular pasta works as well.
- cooked chicken breast – adds protein and makes this pasta salad more filling. For a shortcut, us rotisserie chicken or pre-cooked cubbed chicken from the store. Otherwise, I love using my grilled chicken breast recipe for this salad.
- cherry tomatoes – for a juicy, fresh pop of flavor.
- red onion – adds a little bite and crunch. Make sure to finely dice so it’s not overpowering.
- mozzarella pearls – creamy, mild, and perfect in pasta salad. You can also chop a larger ball of fresh mozzarella.
- baby arugula or spinach – adds freshness and a little color. Arugula gives a slight peppery flavor.
- creamy pesto dressing – made with Greek yogurt, a touch of mayo, fresh basil, lemon juice, parmesan, garlic, honey and the Dash garlic pesto seasoning blend for a lighter, flavor-packed twist.
How to Make Chicken Pesto Pasta Salad
Step 1: Boil pasta in salted water until just tender. Rinse under cold water so it cools quickly.
Step 2: Blend the creamy pesto dressing ingredients until smooth.
Step 3: Add the pasta, chicken, veggies, cheese and greens to a large mixing bowl.
Step 4: Toss everything with the dressing until coated. Enjoy immediately or chill until you’re ready to eat.
Brittany’s Recipe Tips
- Cook pasta just to al dente: You don’t want it too soft or it’ll get mushy once tossed with the dressing.
- Let the pasta cool before mixing: If it’s too warm, it can thin out the dressing and make everything a little watery.
- Taste and adjust the dressing: Depending on your yogurt and pesto seasoning, you may want a little extra salt, lemon juice, or seasoning.
- Use rotisserie or pre-cooked chicken: A super easy shortcut that makes this recipe come together fast.
- Make it ahead: You can cook the pasta and prep the dressing in advance, then assemble when ready to eat for the freshest flavor and texture.
How to Store & Meal Prep
- Refrigerator: Store leftover pasta salad in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Give it a good stir before serving, as the dressing may settle a bit.
- Keep it fresh: If you’re making this ahead of time, you can store a little extra dressing separately and toss it in right before serving to freshen everything up.
- Meal prep: Divide the pasta salad into individual containers for easy grab-and-go lunches throughout the week.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. You can add about ¼ cup of traditional pesto to the dressing for extra flavor. Just keep in mind it will make the dressing richer and more oil-based, and will change the macros slightly.
If you can’t find the seasoning blend, you can add a little regular pesto for a similar flavor boost or simply increase the basil, parmesan, garlic, and salt. The dressing will still be delicious, just a bit less concentrated in that classic pesto flavor.
Short pasta like rotini, bowtie, or penne works best because it holds onto the creamy dressing. You can use regular or protein pasta depending on your preference.
More Protein-Packed Salads
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Chicken Pesto Pasta Salad
Ingredients
Pasta Salad
- 8 oz short gluten-free or regular pasta of choice, bowtie, penne, I used Banza
- 2 cups chopped cooked chicken
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered or halved
- ½ cup red onion, finely diced
- ½ cup mozzarella pearls or chopped fresh mozzarella balls
- 2–3 cups fresh baby spinach or arugula, roughly chopped
Creamy Pesto Dressing
- ¾ cup plain full-fat Greek yogurt
- 3 Tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil
- 3 Tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 Tablespoons shredded parmesan cheese
- 1 Tablespoon mayo, I used avocado oil mayo
- 3 teaspoons Dash Pasta Blend Garlic Pesto Seasoning
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ teaspoon honey
- ½ teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- Handful of baby spinach
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta until al dente. Drain and rinse with cold water to cool. Set aside.
- Add the Greek yogurt, fresh basil, lemon juice, Parmesan, mayo, seasoning blend, garlic, honey, salt, pepper and fresh spinach to a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth and creamy.
- In a large bowl, combine the cooled pasta, chicken, tomatoes, red onion, mozzarella and greens.
- Pour the dressing over the salad and toss until everything is well coated.
- Serve right away to keep in the fridge until ready to serve. For meal prep, portion salad into 4 meal prep containers!
Notes
- Chicken: Rotisserie or pre-cooked chicken works great and keeps this recipe quick and easy.
- Pesto seasoning: If you don’t have the seasoning blend, you can skip it or add a little regular pesto for a similar flavor.
- Dressing consistency: If the dressing is too thick, add a splash of water or milk to thin it out to your desired consistency.
- Storage + meal prep: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Divide into individual containers for easy grab-and-go lunches.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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