Best 11 Garden Pasta And Pesto Chicken Salad Recipes

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Searching for a delectable and refreshing dish that combines the flavors of fresh garden produce with the savory taste of pesto? Look no further than our guide to the best recipe for "Garden Pasta and Pesto Chicken Salad". In this comprehensive guide, we'll take you on a culinary journey to create a delightful salad that's perfect for light lunches, summer picnics, or as a healthy side dish. Get ready to tantalize your taste buds with a vibrant combination of crisp vegetables, tender chicken, and a flavorful pesto dressing that brings everything together.

Here are our top 11 tried and tested recipes!

PESTO CHICKEN PASTA SALAD



Pesto Chicken Pasta Salad image

Quick and easy Pesto Chicken Pasta Salad with fresh ingredients and loads of flavor! This is the perfect side dish for any get together, backyard bbq, or potluck.

Provided by Tiffany

Categories     Side Dish

Time 20m

Number Of Ingredients 9

17 ounces Sam's Choice Italia Fusiloni Pasta
⅔ cup prepared Italian salad dressing
½ cup Sam's Choice Italia Basil Pesto Sauce
2 cups fresh baby spinach
1 cup fresh arugula
2 cups shredded chicken (rotisserie chicken works well)
½ cup cherry tomatoes (halved)
⅓ cup shredded parmesan cheese
grated parmesan cheese and cracked black pepper, for topping

Steps:

  • Boil pasta for 8-9 minutes until tender, rinse with cold water, drain, and place in a large bowl.
  • Add spinach and arugula, shredded chicken, tomatoes, and parmesan cheese pasta bowl.
  • Whisk together Italian salad dressing and pesto sauce until smooth, then pour over pasta. Toss to combine. Top with cracked black pepper and grated parmesan cheese as desired.
  • Serve immediately or cover and chill up to 8 hours and toss just before serving.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 860 kcal, Carbohydrate 97 g, Protein 39 g, Fat 34 g, SaturatedFat 7 g, Cholesterol 76 mg, Sodium 744 mg, Fiber 5 g, Sugar 6 g, ServingSize 1 serving

GARDEN PASTA AND PESTO CHICKEN SALAD



Garden Pasta and Pesto Chicken Salad image

Mix veggies, pasta, prepared pesto & chicken strips for a quick Garden Pasta and Pesto Chicken Salad. Pesto chicken salad is a tasty summertime dish.

Provided by My Food and Family

Categories     Recipes

Time 3h10m

Yield Makes 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 5

1 pkg. (9 oz.) refrigerated cheese tortellini
1 pkg. (6 oz.) OSCAR MAYER CARVING BOARD Lemon Pepper Chicken Breast Strips
1/2 cup CLASSICO Traditional Basil Pesto Sauce and Spread
2 cup chopped mixed vegetableses (red peppers, zucchini and carrots)
1/2 cup chopped tomatoes

Steps:

  • Cook pasta as directed on package; drain. Rinse with cold water. Place in large bowl.
  • Add all remaining ingredients except tomatoes; mix lightly. Sprinkle with the tomatoes; cover.
  • Refrigerate several hours or until chilled.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 410, Fat 19 g, SaturatedFat 4.5 g, TransFat 0 g, Cholesterol 60 mg, Sodium 860 mg, Carbohydrate 0 g, Fiber 4 g, Sugar 0 g, Protein 24 g

GARDEN PASTA SALAD



Garden Pasta Salad image

A zesty pasta recipe, with lots of crunchy vegetables.

Provided by L. Gale

Categories     Salad     100+ Pasta Salad Recipes     Vegetarian Pasta Salad Recipes

Time 1h30m

Yield 10

Number Of Ingredients 9

1 (16 ounce) package uncooked tri-color spiral pasta
½ cup thinly sliced carrots
2 stalks celery, chopped
½ cup chopped green bell pepper
½ cup cucumber, peeled and thinly sliced
2 large tomatoes, diced
¼ cup chopped onion
2 (16 ounce) bottles Italian-style salad dressing
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

Steps:

  • Cook pasta in large pot of boiling water until al dente. Rinse under cold water, and drain.
  • Mix chopped carrots, celery, cucumber, green pepper, tomatoes, and onion together in large bowl.
  • Combine cooled pasta and vegetables together in large bowl. Pour Italian dressing over mixture, add Parmesan cheese and mix well.
  • Chill for one hour before serving.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 449.5 calories, Carbohydrate 45.1 g, Cholesterol 3.5 mg, Fat 27.4 g, Fiber 2.5 g, Protein 8.4 g, SaturatedFat 4.9 g, Sodium 1539.7 mg, Sugar 10.6 g

QUICK AND EASY GARDEN CHICKEN PASTA SALAD



Quick and Easy Garden Chicken Pasta Salad image

An extremely easy pasta salad from Kraft Foods. You can substitute or add any other ingredients you like. I sometimes add cubed mozzarella, Parmesan and fresh chicken. I'm making it today with cheese tortellini. This is my potluck "staple" in the summertime. Time does not include chill time.

Provided by HEP MEP

Categories     Chicken Breast

Time 20m

Yield 10 cups

Number Of Ingredients 6

3 cups rotini pasta (8 oz.) or 3 cups pasta, of your choice cooked and drained (8 oz.)
2 cups broccoli florets, lightly blanched
1 1/2 cups three cheese ranch dressing or 1 1/2 cups regular ranch dressing
1 (6 ounce) package cooked chicken breasts, cuts or chopped red pepper
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
1/2 cup slivered onion

Steps:

  • Toss all ingredients and refrigerate.
  • Can be made up to 2 days ahead.
  • Serve chilled or at room temperature.
  • Can be easily doubled.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 336.7, Fat 20.6, SaturatedFat 3.3, Cholesterol 24, Sodium 362.5, Carbohydrate 27, Fiber 1.4, Sugar 2.5, Protein 10.2

GARDEN PESTO PASTA SALAD



Garden Pesto Pasta Salad image

My family and I live on a homestead in the Missouri Ozarks and produce much of our own food. In the summer, when the garden is bursting with fresh vegetables and it's too hot to cook, I like to use the season's veggies for pasta salads and other cool meals. -Sarah Mathews, Ava, Missouri

Provided by Taste of Home

Categories     Lunch

Time 15m

Yield 10 servings.

Number Of Ingredients 12

3 cups uncooked spiral pasta (about 9 ounces)
1/2 cup prepared pesto
3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup olive oil
1 medium zucchini, halved and sliced
1 medium sweet red pepper, chopped
1 medium tomato, seeded and chopped
1 small red onion, halved and thinly sliced
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Steps:

  • Cook pasta according to package directions; drain. Rinse with cold water and drain well., Meanwhile, whisk together pesto, vinegar, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Gradually whisk in oil until blended., Combine vegetables and pasta. Drizzle with pesto dressing; toss to coat. Refrigerate, covered, until cold, about 1 hour. Serve with Parmesan cheese.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 217 calories, Fat 11g fat (2g saturated fat), Cholesterol 3mg cholesterol, Sodium 339mg sodium, Carbohydrate 23g carbohydrate (3g sugars, Fiber 2g fiber), Protein 6g protein. Diabetic Exchanges

CREAMY PESTO & CHICKEN PASTA SALAD



Creamy pesto & chicken pasta salad image

If you need a quick boost of carbohydrates, try this filling and nutritionally-balanced pasta salad

Provided by Good Food team

Categories     Dinner, Main course

Time 30m

Number Of Ingredients 6

85g pasta shapes
½ red pepper , chopped
handful halved cherry tomatoes
1 cooked chicken breast
1 tbsp basil pesto
2 tbsp low-fat crème fraîche

Steps:

  • Cook the pasta following pack instructions. Meanwhile, mix the red pepper with the cherry tomatoes and chicken. Mix the pesto and crème fraîche. Drain the pasta, then stir it through. Toss through the veg and chicken and eat immediately, or pack into a container for lunch.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 600 calories, Fat 15 grams fat, SaturatedFat 4 grams saturated fat, Carbohydrate 68 grams carbohydrates, Sugar 7 grams sugar, Fiber 4 grams fiber, Protein 47 grams protein, Sodium 0.3 milligram of sodium

PESTO CHICKEN PASTA SALAD



Pesto Chicken Pasta Salad image

Be generous with the salt and easonings so the pasta salad can have flavor. Customize this pasta to your personal flavors. Add more of less of any ingredient to make it perfect to your personal taste! You can use leftover roast chicken for this, the flavor is even better.

Provided by Diane

Categories     Main Course     Salad

Time 1h30m

Number Of Ingredients 14

12-16 ounces dried pasta (, cooked to package instructions)
2-3 cups cooked shredded cooked chicken
1 cup chopped fresh basil
1 1/2 cups pesto ((about 14oz./425g))
1/4 cup olive oil
1 cup sun-dried tomatoes (, packed in oil & chopped)
1 cup grated parmesan cheese
zest of 1 lemon
2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice ((or more to taste))
salt (, to taste)
fresh cracked black pepper (, to taste)
toasted pine nuts (, optional)
extra grated parmesan cheese (, optional)
red pepper flakes ((optional, to taste))

Steps:

  • Cook the pasta to package instructions. Drain the pasta and immediately rinse with cold water. Drain the pasta, transfer to a large bowl and set aside. Allow the pasta to cool completely.
  • In a medium sized bowl toss together all the ingredients until evenly combined (pasta, chicken, basil, pesto, olive oil, sun dried tomatoes, parmesan cheese, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt, & pepper).
  • Add optional toppings (pine nuts, extra parmesan, red pepper flakes). Chill before serving.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 547 kcal, Carbohydrate 44 g, Protein 23 g, Fat 31 g, SaturatedFat 7 g, Cholesterol 41 mg, Sodium 689 mg, Fiber 4 g, Sugar 8 g, UnsaturatedFat 9 g, ServingSize 1 serving

PESTO GARDEN PASTA FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY RECIPE BY TASTY



Pesto Garden Pasta For The Whole Family Recipe by Tasty image

Here's what you need: fresh basil leaves, olive oil, grated parmesan cheese, almond butter, lemon juice, garlic, lemon zest, kosher salt, pepper, kosher salt, pasta, grape tomato, yellow cherry tomato, red onion, mozzarella ball

Provided by Greg Perez

Categories     Dinner

Yield 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 15

2 cups fresh basil leaves
½ cup olive oil
½ cup grated parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon almond butter
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 cloves garlic, smashed
2 teaspoons lemon zest
kosher salt, to taste
pepper, to taste
kosher salt, to taste
4 cups pasta, short, such as farfalle or penne
1 cup grape tomato, halved
1 cup yellow cherry tomato, halved
¼ cup red onion, sliced
8 oz mozzarella ball, drained

Steps:

  • Add the basil, olive oil, Parmesan, almond butter, lemon juice, garlic, lemon zest, salt, and pepper to a blender. Blend until smooth and set aside.
  • Cook the pasta according to the package instructions.
  • Drain and transfer the pasta to a large serving bowl.
  • Add the grape tomatoes, yellow tomatoes, red onion, and mozzarella balls to the pasta.
  • Pour the pesto sauce over the pasta.
  • Toss the ingredients together.
  • Serve warm in a bowl.
  • Enjoy! Adapted from The Minimalist Kitchen by Melissa Coleman. Copyright © 2018 Oxmoor House. Reprinted with permission from Time Inc. Books, a division of Meredith Corporation. New York, NY. All rights reserved.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 744 calories, Carbohydrate 88 grams, Fat 31 grams, Fiber 5 grams, Protein 26 grams, Sugar 6 grams

PESTO PASTA WITH CHICKEN



Pesto Pasta with Chicken image

Easy and delicious pasta with chicken. Serve with crusty bread and salad for a quick dinner. Use as much or as little pesto sauce as you like. Using homemade pesto will taste even better, but it adds to prep time. Enjoy!

Provided by Kristin

Categories     World Cuisine Recipes     European     Italian

Time 30m

Yield 8

Number Of Ingredients 7

1 (16 ounce) package bow tie pasta
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
crushed red pepper flakes to taste
⅓ cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained and cut into strips
½ cup pesto sauce

Steps:

  • Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.
  • Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Saute garlic until tender, then stir in chicken. Season with red pepper flakes. Cook until chicken is golden, and cooked through.
  • In a large bowl, combine pasta, chicken, sun-dried tomatoes and pesto. Toss to coat evenly.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 328 calories, Carbohydrate 43.3 g, Cholesterol 22.1 mg, Fat 10.1 g, Fiber 2.7 g, Protein 17.4 g, SaturatedFat 2.5 g, Sodium 153.5 mg, Sugar 1.9 g

CHICKEN PESTO PASTA SALAD



Chicken Pesto Pasta Salad image

Super easy pasta salad- wonderful for any thing from a brunch to a summer dinner. Everyone likes it- even my picky 3 year old! My husbands co-worker brought this to share for an event and he begged for the recipe. The only particular is that the pasta salad will taste best if you use the pesto in a plastic container in the refrigerated section. The serving size stated is the pasta salad as main dish- in a pot luck or as a side it serves a lot more.

Provided by MistressRach

Categories     Chicken

Time 30m

Yield 6 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 8

2/3 cup basil pesto
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
salt
fresh ground pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil
3/4 lb orzo pasta
1 lb shredded cooked chicken
1/2 lb cherry tomatoes (cut in half) or 1/2 lb grape tomatoes (cut in half)

Steps:

  • In a large bowl whisk together pesto, vinegar and 1/4 T salt and pinch of pepper. Gradually whisk in oil until smooth.
  • Cook the orzo add 2T salt in cooking.
  • Drain and rinse under cold water and drain again.
  • Add orzo to vinigarete and toss.
  • Add chicken, and tomatoes and toss.
  • Tastes best chilled- though it's fine warm.

PESTO CHICKEN SALAD



Pesto chicken salad image

Serve this pesto chicken and couscous salad in lettuce leaves for a healthy supper. With added sundried tomatoes and pine nuts, it has lots of texture

Provided by Anna Glover

Categories     Dinner, Lunch, Supper

Time 20m

Number Of Ingredients 9

50g couscous
2 tbsp pesto
2 tbsp fat-free yogurt
2 cooked skinless chicken breasts , shredded, or 200g leftover roast chicken, shredded
½ small bunch of basil , leaves picked and torn, plus a few small leaves to serve
½ cucumber , chopped
2 sundried tomatoes in oil, drained and sliced
2 Little Gem lettuces , leaves separated
2 tsp toasted pine nuts

Steps:

  • Put the couscous in a large heatproof bowl and cover with 100ml boiling water. Stir in 1 tbsp pesto. Cover and leave for 8 mins.
  • Fluff the couscous with a fork, then stir in the rest of the pesto, the yogurt and some seasoning. Toss in the chicken, basil, cucumber and tomatoes.
  • Spoon the couscous mix into the lettuce leaves and eat with your fingers, or serve over the lettuce like a salad. Scatter over the pine nuts and more basil before serving.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 467 calories, Fat 15 grams fat, SaturatedFat 2 grams saturated fat, Carbohydrate 36 grams carbohydrates, Sugar 9 grams sugar, Fiber 6 grams fiber, Protein 44 grams protein, Sodium 0.6 milligram of sodium

Tips:

  • For a crispier chicken, cook it in a grill pan or skillet over high heat until it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
  • If you don't have a grill pan or skillet, you can also bake the chicken in the oven at 400°F for 20-25 minutes, or until cooked through.
  • To make the pesto, simply combine all of the ingredients in a food processor or blender and pulse until smooth.
  • If you don't have a food processor or blender, you can also chop the ingredients by hand.
  • The pasta salad can be made ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
  • To make the salad more colorful, add some chopped fresh vegetables, such as tomatoes, cucumbers, or bell peppers.

Conclusion:

This garden pasta salad and pesto chicken salad is a delicious and refreshing meal that is perfect for a summer picnic or potluck. The chicken is tender and flavorful, the pasta salad is light and refreshing, and the pesto adds a delicious burst of flavor. This recipe is also easy to make and can be tailored to your own preferences. So next time you're looking for a delicious and healthy meal, give this garden pasta salad and pesto chicken salad a try!

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