Description

A vibrant, cold pasta salad featuring rotini, rotisserie chicken, basil pesto, cherry tomatoes, and mozzarella. It’s a refreshing, zero-oven summer lunch that tastes better the next day.

Ingredients

Scale

12 oz (340g) Rotini or Fusilli pasta
Water and salt (for boiling pasta)
2 cups (280g) Rotisserie chicken, shredded or diced
½ to ¾ cup (120-180ml) Basil pesto
2 tablespoons Extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons Fresh lemon juice
1 clove Garlic, minced
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 cup Cherry tomatoes, halved
1 cup Mozzarella cheese, cubed or torn into chunks
¼ cup Red onion, finely diced
½ cup Fresh basil leaves, torn
Black pepper, to taste

Instructions

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until al dente (8-10 minutes).
Before draining, reserve ½ cup of starchy pasta water. Drain pasta and rinse briefly with cold water to stop cooking.
While pasta cooks, shred/dice chicken, dice red onion, halve tomatoes, and tear mozzarella.
In a small bowl, whisk together pesto, olive oil, lemon juice, minced garlic, Dijon mustard, and black pepper. Thin with reserved pasta water if needed.
In a large mixing bowl, combine cooled pasta, chicken, tomatoes, onion, and mozzarella.
Pour dressing over ingredients and toss gently until evenly coated. Adjust seasoning if needed.
Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes (or up to 4 hours) to allow flavors to meld.
Stir before serving. Top with fresh basil and a drizzle of olive oil if desired. Serve chilled.

Notes

Do not skip the cold rinse on the pasta to prevent mushiness. Season aggressively as cold food tastes less flavorful. The salad improves in flavor after sitting in the fridge for a few hours. Do not freeze, as pasta becomes mushy and cheese separates.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Category: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 serving
Calories: 380
Sodium: 450
Fat: 14
Carbohydrates: 45
Fiber: 3
Protein: 22

Keywords: pesto chicken pasta salad, summer lunch, cold pasta salad, meal prep, easy dinner, rotisserie chicken recipes, gluten-free option