26 Easy Dinner Recipes
19. Italian Chicken Pasta Salad
Italian Chicken Pasta Salad is a refreshing and filling dish that’s perfect for busy weeknights. This easy-to-prepare meal requires minimal cooking skills and basic kitchen tools like a pot, cutting board, and mixing bowl. It’s packed with protein from the chicken and includes fresh vegetables for added nutrition.
You’ll love this versatile recipe that can be prepared ahead of time and tastes even better the next day! The combination of juicy chicken, colorful vegetables, and tangy Italian dressing creates a delicious meal that’s both satisfying and light.
Cooking Times
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes
Total time: 30 minutes
Serving Size
- This recipe serves 6-8 people, perfect for family dinners or meal prep for the week.
Ingredients
- 8 oz pasta (any type works)
- 2 cups cooked chicken, diced
- 1 cucumber, chopped
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- ½ cup black olives, sliced
- 1 bell pepper, diced
- ¼ cup red onion, thinly sliced
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
- ½ cup Italian dressing
- Salt and pepper to taste
Preparation
- Cook pasta according to package instructions. Drain and rinse under cold water.
- In a large bowl, combine pasta, chicken, cucumber, tomatoes, olives, bell pepper, onion, and parsley.
- Pour the Italian dressing over the salad and toss until well coated. Season with salt and pepper.
- For best results, refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving to allow flavors to blend.
Nutritional Info
Each serving (1 ½ cups, approx. 250g) provides about:
- Calories: 380 kcal
- Protein: 28 g
- Total Fat: 14 g
- Saturated Fat: 2.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 40 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 550 mg
- Vitamin C: 25 mg
- Calcium: 50 mg
- Iron: 2.2 mg
