4.6 from 24 votes
Easy Italian Chicken Pasta Salad
🍅🥒🥕🍗 EASY, ready in 30 minutes, perfect for a hassle-free family meal, and makes a big batch so you can have planned leftovers! A super FLEXIBLE recipe based on what vegetables you have on hand! Great for quick lunches, casual dinners, picnics, and potlucks because everyone LOVES this pasta salad!
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Total Time
30 mins
Servings: 10
Calories: 384 kcal
Course:
Main Course
Cuisine:
Italian
Ingredients
- 1 pound rotini pasta cooked according to package directions (another small-shaped pasta such as ziti, penne, small elbow, etc. may be substituted)
- 4 tablespoon olive oil or as needed
- 1 small white or yellow onion diced small
- 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast diced into bite-sized pieces
- 1 to 2 tablespoons Italian seasoning or to taste
- 1 + teaspoons kosher salt or to taste
- 1 + teaspoons freshly ground black pepper or to taste
- 3 to 4 cloves garlic finely minced or pressed
- 1 medium zucchini diced into small half moon-shaped pieces
- 1 medium carrot peeled and diced into small half moon-shaped pieces
- 1 medium/large red bell pepper seeded and diced small
- 1 medium/large yellow bell pepper seeded and diced small
- ¾ cup Italian salad dressing or to taste
- ¼ to ⅓ cup fresh Italian flat-leaf parsley finely minced
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to package directions, drain, and place in a very large mixing bowl, and set aside. While pasta is cooking, being cooking the onion and chicken.
- To a large skillet, add the olive oil, onion, and cook over medium-high heat for about 4 to 5 minutes or until onion begins to slightly soften; stir frequently.
- Add the chicken and season with Italian seasoning, salt and pepper to taste, and cook over medium-high heat for about 7 minutes, flipping and stirring frequently so chicken and onions cook evenly. At any time, if the mixture looks like it needs more olive oil, add it.
- When chicken has cooked through, add the garlic, and cook for about 1 minute or until fragrant, stir nearly consistently.
- Add the cooked chicken and onion mixture, including all cooking juices, to the bowl with cooked pasta.
- Add the zucchini, carrots, bell peppers, and stir to combine. The carryover heat from the chicken and pasta will lightly soften the vegetables.
- Add the Italian dressing, parsley, lemon juice, and stir to combine. Taste and check for seasoning balance, making any necessary adjustments (more Italian seasoning, more salt or pepper which is very likely since this is a very large quantity of food and I recommend not being shy with the salt and pepper, a pinch of cayenne for heat, extra splash of lemon juice, olive oil, etc.) before serving.
Cup of Yum
Notes
- Tip - While the pasta is simmering, the onions and chicken are sauteeing, make sure you are working ahead chopping the remaining vegetables that need to be chopped.
- Storage: Recipe can be served warm, at room temp, or chilled. It will keep airtight in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 4 months.
Nutrition Information
Serving
1serving
Calories
384kcal
(19%)
Carbohydrates
47g
(16%)
Protein
26g
(52%)
Fat
9g
(14%)
Saturated Fat
1g
(5%)
Polyunsaturated Fat
1g
Monounsaturated Fat
5g
Trans Fat
0.01g
Cholesterol
58mg
(19%)
Sodium
1975mg
(82%)
Potassium
597mg
(17%)
Fiber
3g
(12%)
Sugar
3g
(6%)
Vitamin A
1618IU
(32%)
Vitamin C
46mg
(51%)
Calcium
36mg
(4%)
Iron
1mg
(6%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 10Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 384
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1serving | |
| Calories | 384kcal | 19% |
| Carbohydrates | 47g | 16% |
| Protein | 26g | 52% |
| Fat | 9g | 14% |
| Saturated Fat | 1g | 5% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 1g | 6% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 5g | 25% |
| Trans Fat | 0.01g | 1% |
| Cholesterol | 58mg | 19% |
| Sodium | 1975mg | 82% |
| Potassium | 597mg | 13% |
| Fiber | 3g | 12% |
| Sugar | 3g | 6% |
| Vitamin A | 1618IU | 32% |
| Vitamin C | 46mg | 51% |
| Calcium | 36mg | 4% |
| Iron | 1mg | 6% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.