Chicken pesto pasta salad

This chicken pesto pasta salad recipe is perfect for summer. This healthy, simple salad that is quick to prepare and perfect for a BBQ!

This cold pasta salad with chicken and pesto and sun-dried tomatoes is a healthy, simple salad that is quick to prepare and perfect for a BBQ!

I like to make cold salads in the summer like this pasta salad or a waldorf salad. Because you serve them cold you can very well make them in advance and that's why this recipe is perfect to take with you for a picnic or BBQ!

I like the pasta salad with chicken and pesto best. Usually I use regular basil pesto but I also like to replace it with spinach pesto.

You can buy it ready-made in the supermarket but you can also easily make it yourself.

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• Ingredients
• Instructions
• Equipment
• Storage
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• chicken pesto pasta salad

Ingredients

Pasta - I prefer to use fusilli or penne when I make a pasta salad. For an extra healthy salad, use whole wheat pasta of course!

Mozzarella - the small size of the mozzarella balls makes them perfect for an easy salad. You can also cut a large ball into small pieces. Don't like mozzarella?? Try adding some homemade cottage cheese!

Arugula - the nutty, slightly bitter flavor of the arugula is amazing with the creamy mozzarella en tangy dressing.

Sun-dried tomatoes - for this recipe I use sun-dried tomatoes in oil. You can also replace them with halved cherry tomatoes.

In the supermarket nowadays you can also buy sun-dried tomatoes that have already been cut. That way you can put this pasta salad on the table even faster!

You can find the complete ingredient list and instructions on the recipe card below!

Instructions

Cook the pasta al dente in a saucepan of plenty of boiling water. Drain the pasta and let it cool completely. It is important that the pasta has become completely cold before you continue.

Cut the chicken into small cubes and sprinkle the cubes with some salt, pepper and oregano. Heat the oil in a frying pan and fry the chicken for a few minutes. Let the chicken, like the pasta, cool completely before continuing.

Cut the sun-dried tomatoes into small pieces and drain the mozzarella balls.

Put the cold pasta in a large bowl and add the cooled chicken cubes, rocket salad, tomatoes and mozzarella balls, olive oil and pesto. Stir well and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Equipment

• Cutting board with a sharp knife.
• Frying pan and saucepan.
• Large pasta bowl to serve the pasta salad in.

Storage

This pasta salad will keep for about 2-3 days if you keep it covered in the refrigerator. If your salad has become a little dry in the fridge you can stir in a little pesto with some olive oil.

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