My mom came up with this easy chicken pesto pasta recipe when I was in high school. Not only is it filled with my favorite veggies, but it’s also tossed with a garlic and pesto sauce that is slightly addicting.
Whenever my mom made this chicken pesto pasta, I couldn’t stop eating it because it was THAT good! Back in the day I didn’t worry about my carb intake, so I had no problem eating a bowl or two 😂. Today, things are a little bit different, so making this dish is a real treat.
Is there a gluten free option?
If you’re gluten free, you can absolutely use gluten free pasta shells for this recipe. Since most of the flavor comes from the sauce, using gluten free pasta shells won’t negatively affect the taste of this recipe.
Gluten free anything tends to overcook easily, so just be careful not to boil the pasta shells for too long. I normally purchase my gluten free pasta shells from Aldi or Thrive Market.
Tips for saving time
- Use store bought pesto when you’re in a pinch. I normally buy my pesto from Trader Joe’s. Trader Joe’s sells a jarred pesto sauce, as well as a container of vegan pesto made with cashews. They’re both delicious!
- Once you have your pesto, you can mix the rest of the pesto sauce ingredients and store the mixture in an airtight container until you’re ready to make the pasta salad.
- Make your chicken a day or 2 in advance and keep it stored in the fridge. I normally cook my chicken breasts in the Instant Pot for 12-15 minutes.
- If you REALLY want to save time, purchase a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store and cut it into bite-sized pieces. I’m telling you, no one will know the difference.
- Clean and cut your broccoli and mushrooms ahead of time to save a few extra minutes. Store them in an airtight container until you are ready to prepare your chicken pesto salad.
Ingredients for chicken pesto pasta salad
- Broccoli
- Cherry Tomatoes
- Mushrooms (Any type will do. Just pick your favorite.)
- Black Olives
- Mild Cheddar
- Garlic
- Chicken Breast
- Pasta Shells
- Red Wine Vinegar
- Mayonaise
- Pesto (Any brand will do. I purchase my jar from Trader Joe’s.)
- Salt
How to make chicken pesto pasta salad
- Cook 2 chicken breasts ahead of time and allow them to cool completely in the refrigerator. *I cook mine in the Instant Pot for 12-15 minutes. You could also use 2 cups of store bought rotisserie chicken if you’re short on time.*
- Bring a pot of water to a boil and add the pasta shells. Follow the instructions on the bag for cooking times. Once the pasta shells have finished cooking, pour them into a strainer and run them under cool water. **CAUTION** Do not mix warm pasta shells with the pesto mixture.
- In a large bowl, add the broccoli, cherry tomatoes, mushrooms, cheddar cheese, and olives. Set aside while you work on the pesto mixture.
- In a separate bowl mix together the garlic, mayonnaise, red wine vinegar, pesto, and salt until it is well combined.
- Add the pesto mixture, cooked chicken, and pasta shells to the larger bowl of vegetables.
- Mix everything together until well combined.
- Serve and enjoy!
Easy chicken pesto pasta Recipe card
Chicken Pesto Pasta Salad
Chicken pesto pasta salad is the perfect side dish for lunch or dinner. This pasta salad is packed with flavor and full of healthy vegetables.
Ingredients
- 2 chicken breasts, cooked and cubedÂ
- 3/4 of a 16 oz bag of pasta shells
- 1 head of broccoli cut into bite sized pieces
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes
- 1 cup mushrooms, sliced into thin strips
- 1 cup of black olives
- 1 cup of cheddar cheese, cubed
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 1/2 cups of mayonaise
- 1 Tbsp red wine vinegar
- 3 Tbsp pesto
- 1/2 tsp salt
Instructions
- Cook 2 chicken breasts ahead of time and allow them to cool completely in the refrigerator. *I cook mine in the Instant Pot for 12-15 minutes. You could also use 2 cups of store bought rotisserie chicken if you're short on time.*
- Bring a pot of water to a boil and add the pasta shells. Follow the instructions on the bag for cooking times. Once the pasta shells have finished cooking, pour them into a strainer and run them under cool water. **CAUTION** Do not mix warm pasta shells with the pesto mixture.
- In a large bowl, add the broccoli, cherry tomatoes, mushrooms, cheddar cheese, and olives. Set aside while you work on the pesto mixture.
- In a separate bowl mix together the garlic, mayonnaise, red wine vinegar, pesto, and salt until it is well combined.
- Add the pesto mixture, cooked chicken, and pasta shells to the larger bowl of vegetables.
- Mix everything together until well combined.
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes
Save a little bit of time by using pre-cooked rotisserie chicken.
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Like I said before, this chicken pesto pasta recipe is slightly addicting. And by slightly, I mean VERY! I love all of the flavors and textures in this well-balanced pasta.
This pasta reminds me of my younger years when my mom would cook us her best meals. It definitely is a comfort meal for me. Let me know if you try this chicken pasta recipe. I would love to hear your feedback.
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