Chicken Pasta Salad with Garlic Parmesan Dressing
This easy Chicken Pasta Salad is made with tender pasta, cooked chicken, baby spinach, tomatoes, cucumber, parmesan cheese, and a creamy garlic parmesan dressing. It’s fresh, filling, and perfect for summer lunches, potlucks, meal prep, or an easy make-ahead dinner.
Servings: 6
Calories: 603kcal
Ingredients
Pasta Salad:
- 12 ounces rotini bowtie, or penne pasta
- 2 cups cooked chicken chopped or shredded
- 2 cups baby spinach roughly chopped
- 1 pint grape tomatoes halved
- 1 cup diced cucumber
- ¼ cup finely diced red onion optional
- ½ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
- Extra parmesan and black pepper for serving
Garlic Parmesan Dressing:
- ¾ cup mayonnaise
- ½ cup plain Greek yogurt or sour cream
- ½ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 2 garlic cloves finely minced or grated
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1-2 tablespoons milk water, or reserved pasta water, as needed to thin
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to the package directions until al dente.
- Drain the pasta, then rinse it under cold water to stop the cooking. Drain very well.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, Greek yogurt or sour cream, parmesan cheese, lemon juice, olive oil, Dijon mustard, garlic, salt, and pepper until smooth.
- Add 1–2 tablespoons of milk, water, or reserved pasta water if needed to thin the dressing.
- Add the cooled pasta, chicken, baby spinach, tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, and parmesan cheese to a large mixing bowl.
- Pour about three-fourths of the dressing over the pasta salad and gently toss to combine.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
- Before serving, toss again and add the remaining dressing if needed.
- Top with extra parmesan cheese and black pepper, then serve chilled.
Notes
- Rotisserie chicken works well for an easy shortcut.
- For the best texture, cook the pasta just until al dente and drain it very well after rinsing.
- If making this pasta salad ahead of time, reserve a little dressing to stir in before serving.
- Use bottled garlic parmesan dressing as a shortcut if desired. Start with ¾ cup and add more as needed.
Nutrition
Calories: 603kcal | Carbohydrates: 49g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 32g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 14g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 59mg | Sodium: 821mg | Potassium: 579mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 1786IU | Vitamin C: 17mg | Calcium: 266mg | Iron: 2mg
