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susan's tomato basil chicken pasta salad

(3)
spatdi avatar
Blue Ribbon Recipe by
Susan Din
@spatdi
Houston, TX

My family loves this yummy salad. It's similar to La Madeleine's Tomato Basil Pesto Pasta Salad, with the added protein of chicken. Served with a green salad, it's a complete meal.

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Blue Ribbon Recipe

Most pasta salads are a side dish but this salad is hearty enough for a meal thanks to the chopped chicken. It's filled with Mediterranean flavors like olives, tomatoes, and artichoke hearts. There's no mayonnaise in this pasta salad recipe. It's dressed with fresh pesto a zesty Caesar dressing. Serve with an extra sprinkle of fresh chopped basil and grated Romano cheese. A great salad for summer cookouts.

— The Test Kitchen @kitchencrew
(3)
yield 6 -8
prep time 30 Min
cook time 30 Min
method Stove Top

Ingredients For susan's tomato basil chicken pasta salad

  • 12-16 oz
    cooked chicken cut into chunks
  • 12-16 oz
    rotini or bowtie pasta
  • 2 Tbsp
    Kosher salt (for pasta cooking water)
  • 1-2 c
    Brianna's Asiago Caesar dressing
  • 4 oz
    sun-dried tomatoes in oil, chopped
  • 1 can
    artichoke hearts, chopped roughly
  • 1/2 c
    basil pesto (store-bought or homemade; recipe below
  • 1 can
    large black olives, sliced, drained
  • 1/2 c
    Romano cheese, grated
  • 3 Tbsp
    red onion, finely minced
  • 8-10 lg
    basil leaves, fresh-sliced chiffonade
  • 3 md
    Roma tomatoes, seeded and chopped
  • HOMEMADE BASIL PESTO
  • 2 c
    packed basil leaves, fresh
  • 1/4-1/2 c
    olive oil
  • 1/3 c
    pine nuts
  • 1/2 c
    Parmesan cheese, grated
  • 1 clove
    garlic, chopped
  • 1/4 tsp
    Kosher salt

How To Make susan's tomato basil chicken pasta salad

  • Adding salt to boiling water.
    1
    COOK PASTA: Add 2 Tbsp salt to the boiling water.
  • Draining cooked pasta.
    2
    Cook pasta to al dente, according to package directions. Strain in a colander, and rinse briefly with cold water to cool the pasta. Allow to drain thoroughly.
  • Pesto ingredients added to a food processor.
    3
    PREPARE BASIL PESTO: Place basil leaves, garlic, pine nuts, Parmesan cheese, and salt into a food processor. With the processor running, add the oil and process until smooth.
  • Cut basil leaves.
    4
    CHIFFONADE THE BASIL LEAVES: Stack the leaves, then roll up tightly. With a SHARP knife-cut across in 1/8" slices to form "ribbons."
  • Red onion, tomatos, and chicken chopped.
    5
    Seed and chop tomatoes and red onion. Cut chicken into small chunks.
  • Stirring ingredients together.
    6
    Place pasta into a LARGE bowl and add all remaining ingredients (START WITH 1c DRESSING).
  • Pasta salad ingredients mixed together.
    7
    Mix gently to combine. Add more dressing as desired.
  • Bowl covered in plastic wrap.
    8
    Refrigerate until chilled. After it sits overnight I add a little more dressing before serving to perk up the flavors.
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