Quick and Easy Garden Chicken Pasta Salad

Bright, fresh, and bursting with flavor, this Quick and Easy Garden Chicken Pasta Salad is the perfect go-to recipe for busy weeknights, potlucks, or picnic spreads. Featuring tender rotini pasta, juicy shredded chicken, and a medley of crisp garden vegetables like cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, and red bell peppers, this recipe offers a wholesome balance of textures and colors. Tossed in a zesty homemade lemon and olive oil dressing, with creamy crumbled feta and briny black olives for added richness, this salad is a breeze to prepare in just 25 minutes. Serve it chilled or at room temperature for a vibrant, satisfying dish that’s sure to delight. Perfect for meal prep or a light lunch, this recipe is a deliciously healthy take on classic pasta salad.

Nutriscore Rating: 72/100

Prep Time:15 mins

Cook Time:10 mins

Total Time:25 mins

Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 2 cups rotini pasta
• 2 cups cooked chicken breast (shredded or cubed)
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes (halved)
• 1 cup cucumber (diced)
• 1 cup red bell pepper (diced)
• 0.5 cup red onion (finely chopped)
• 0.5 cup feta cheese (crumbled)
• 0.5 cup black olives (sliced)
• 0.25 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice (freshly squeezed)
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 0.5 teaspoon garlic powder
• 0.5 teaspoon salt
• 0.5 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley (chopped, optional)

Directions

Step 1

Bring a medium-sized pot of water to a boil, add a pinch of salt, and cook the rotini pasta according to the package instructions until al dente (about 8-10 minutes). Drain the pasta and rinse with cold water to cool it down. Set aside.

Step 2

While the pasta is cooking, prepare the vegetables. Halve the cherry tomatoes, dice the cucumber and red bell pepper, and finely chop the red onion.

Step 3

In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooked pasta, shredded or cubed chicken, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red bell pepper, red onion, feta cheese, and black olives.

Step 4

In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper to create the dressing.

Step 5

Pour the dressing over the pasta salad and toss everything thoroughly to ensure all ingredients are evenly coated.

Step 6

Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. If desired, garnish the salad with freshly chopped parsley before serving.

Step 7

Serve immediately or refrigerate for up to 4 hours to allow the flavors to meld. Enjoy!

Nutrition Facts

Serving size	(1669.5g)

Amount per serving	% Daily Value*
Calories	2963.1

Total Fat 129.9g	0%
Saturated Fat 35.2g	0%
Polyunsaturated Fat g
Cholesterol 512.4mg	0%
Sodium 3809.2mg	0%
Total Carbohydrate 238.8g	0%
Dietary Fiber 21.2g	0%
Total Sugars 29.4g
Protein 201.7g	0%

Vitamin D 0IU	0%
Calcium 935.9mg	0%
Iron 20.0mg	0%
Potassium 3171.7mg	0%

*The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

Source of Calories

Fat: 39.9%

Protein: 27.5%

Carbs: 32.6%