Fresh Chicken Pasta Salad

Fresh Chicken Pasta Salad

Summertime is the perfect time for salads! Delicious, fresh produce is so plentiful and hot summer nights beg for lighter dinners. This salad will fit the bill—a little protein, a little pasta, and a lot of freshness.

I first saw this salad idea on lecremedelacrumb.com. But I needed to create an alternative version for my health. This Fresh Chicken Pasta Salad recipe is full of choices for you. So many suffer from food allergies and I wanted to give some healthy alternatives. Feel free to adjust this recipe so it fits your specific needs.

Ingredients Needed for the Fresh Chicken Pasta Salad:

Italian Seasoning Mix:

This is a whole foods alternative to the Good Seasons Italian Dressing Packet. Once you mix together all these spices, you can store it in a sealed container for months. Just use 2 Tablespoons of your “Italian Seasoning Mix” as a substitute in your favorite crockpot meals and salad dressings which commonly use the Good Seasons Italian Dressing Packet. To use “Italian Seasoning” as an Italian dressing use 2 TBS Italian Seasoning + ¼ cup vinegar + 2 TBS water + 2/3 cup olive oil.

What spices do you combine? Parsley, oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, lemon pepper, basil, thyme, black pepper, celery salt, sea salt, dried onion flakes, granulated sugar. I try to use freeze-dried spices as much as possible for a fresh taste.

Creamy Balsamic Dressing:

• Balsamic vinegar and Olive oil
• Minced garlic: You can buy this already minced (still fresh) or mince it yourself.
• Italian seasoning mix: This is the recipe for the combination of spices as an alternative to Good Seasons Italian Dressing Packet.
• Honey: For a little sweetness
• Plain yogurt: I used cashew yogurt when I created the Creamy Balsamic Dressing and it was fantastic. Any plain milk-alternative yogurt would be a perfect substitute. Plain Greek yogurt works as well.
• Dijon mustard: Dijon is recommended over yellow mustard.
• Salt and pepper to taste

Lightly Candied Pecans:

This ingredient of the salad is optional depending on your allergies. I love the crunch and the touch of sweetness nuts can add to a salad. Feel free to “candy” any type of nut you can eat. You could also substitute coconut, as you will notice that I use coconut oil and coconut sugar for candying the nuts. You could also use sunflower or pumpkin seeds, as well.

Marinated Pasta:

• Banza chickpea cavatappi swirls pasta (or a pasta of your choice):  I love the new Banza chickpea pasta as a healthy gluten-free option. The texture resembles regular pasta!
• Half recipe of Creamy Balsamic Dressing: Half of the dressing recipe is used for marinating the pasta. The other half is for the salad. I love the added flavor that marinated pasta gives to the salad. Sometimes the pasta just tastes bland, as compared to the salad, but marinated pasta absorbs the dressing and tastes amazing!

The Fresh Chicken Pasta Salad Ingredients:

• Spinach and Arugula
• Rotisserie chicken
• Marinated pasta
• Strawberries
• Avocados
• Gorgonzola cheese (or alternative cheese)
• Candied pecans
• Creamy Balsamic Dressing

Instructions for Making the Fresh Chicken Pasta Salad:

The biggest thing to know: Don’t mix the salad together ahead of time!

Make the salad portions ahead and then combine just before serving. After a half hour with dressing, the spinach begins to wilt!

1. Start by boiling your pasta.
2. While the pasta is boiling, make the Italian Seasoning Mix. Mix the ingredients together and store in a sealed container for use later.
3. Use the Italian Season Mix to make the Creamy Balsamic Dressing. Reserve half the dressing recipe for the marinated pasta. Store the remaining dressing in the refrigerator for the salad.
4. Drain the al dente pasta. Dump the hot pasta in a covered bowl. Pour half the Creamy Balsamic Dressing on the pasta and stir until the pasta is coated. Let marinate covered in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours. The longer the pasta marinates, the more it will absorb the dressing—and taste so good!
5. Lightly candy the pecans in fry pan over medium-high heat, melt coconut oil. Add coconut sugar and pecans. Stir fry until brown sugar mixture coats pecans thoroughly. Be careful it doesn’t burn. Remove from heat and spread/separate pecans on parchment paper to cool.
6. Prepare and combine the spinach and arugula. Cube the rotisserie chicken. Let chill in refrigerator.
7. A few minutes before serving: slice the strawberries and avocados. Crumble gorgonzola cheese, if using.
8. Just before serving: combine pasta, candied pecans, spinach and arugula, and rotisserie chicken in a large salad bowl. Drizzle with dressing (reserving some) and lightly toss with tongs. Add sliced strawberries (reserving some) and lightly toss again. Top with remaining strawberries, avocadoes and gorgonzola, if using. Drizzle with remaining dressing. Serve immediately.

This salad is so fresh and light and delicious. I can’t wait for you to try it!

–Kim

Print Recipe

Fresh Chicken Pasta Salad

Strawberries and avocados team up with lightly candied pecans and a creamy balsamic dressing to enliven spinach, arugula, and the rotisserie chicken you just picked up at the store. Gorgonzola cheese is optional, as this recipe gives allergy-free alternatives.

Prep Time40 minutes mins

Marinating Time2 hours hrs

Total Time2 hours hrs 40 minutes mins

Course: Main Course

Keyword: avocado, chicken, salad, strawberry

Servings: 4

Author: Kim Melanson

Ingredients

Italian Seasoning (see note):

• 1 Tablespoon freeze-dried parsley
• 2 Tablespoons freeze-dried oregano
• 1 Tablespoon garlic powder
• 1 Tablespoon onion powder
• 1 Tablespoon lemon pepper
• 1 Tablespoon freeze-dried basil
• ¼ teaspoon freeze-dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• ½ teaspoon celery salt
• 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 teaspoon dried onion flakes

Creamy Balsamic Dressing:

• ⅓ cup balsamic vinegar
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning (see above recipe)
• 2 teaspoons honey
• ⅓ cup plain non-dairy yogurt (or plain Greek yogurt)
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• Salt and pepper to taste

Lightly Candied Pecans (optional)

• ½ cup chopped pecans (or other nut choice)
• 2 Tablespoons coconut oil (or butter)
• 2 Tablespoons coconut sugar (or brown sugar)

Marinated Pasta

• 1 package (8 oz) Banza chickpea cavatappi swirls pasta (or a pasta of your choice)
• ½ recipe of Creamy Balsamic Dressing (see recipe above)

The Salad

• 3 cups spinach
• 1 cup arugula
• 1 cup cubed rotisserie chicken
• marinated pasta
• 1 cup sliced strawberries
• 1 avocado
• candied pecans (see recipe above)
• ⅓ cup crumbled gorgonzola cheese (optional or can use alternative cheese)
• ½ recipe Creamy Balsamic Dressing

Instructions

• Note: Don’t mix salad together ahead!

  Make salad portions ahead and then combine just before serving. After a half hour, the spinach begins to wilt!

Italian Seasoning:

• Mix all ingredients together.
• Store seasoning mix in a sealed container to use as needed for several months. See recipe notes for further uses.

Creamy Balsamic Dressing:

• Mix all ingredients together and store in refrigerator until ready to use. (Half the recipe will be used for the marinated pasta.)

Marinated Pasta (marinates for at least 2 hours):

• Cook pasta as instructed. Cook to al dente (firm, not crunchy, but also not completely soft and limp).
• Drain pasta. Dump into a medium bowl with a cover.
• Add ½ the Creamy Balsamic Dressing to the hot pasta. Stir to coat. Cover bowl and let sit for 2 hours in refrigerator. Even longer is better as the pasta absorbs the dressing.

Lightly Candied Pecans:

• Place parchment paper on countertop.
• In fry pan over medium-high heat, melt coconut oil. Add coconut sugar and pecans. Stir fry until brown sugar mixture coats pecans thoroughly. Be careful it doesn’t burn.
• Remove from heat and spread/separate pecans on parchment paper to cool.

The Salad:

• While pasta is marinating, make candied pecans, prepare/combine spinach and arugula, prepare/cube rotisserie chicken.
• A few minutes before serving: slice strawberries and avocados. Crumble gorgonzola cheese, if using.
• Just before serving: combine pasta, candied pecans, spinach and arugula, and rotisserie chicken in a large salad bowl. Drizzle with dressing (reserving some) and lightly toss with tongs. Add sliced strawberries (reserving some) and lightly toss again. Top with remaining strawberries, avocadoes and gorgonzola, if using. Drizzle with remaining dressing. Serve immediately.

Notes

The “Italian Seasoning” is a whole food substitute for Good Seasons Italian Dressing Seasoning Packet. To use “Italian Seasoning” as an Italian dressing use 2 TBS Italian Seasoning + ¼ cup vinegar + 2 TBS water + 2/3 cup olive oil.