Best 8 Zesty Cold Chicken Pasta Salad Recipes

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In the realm of culinary delights, the zesty cold chicken pasta salad stands as a testament to the perfect harmony between tangy flavors and refreshing textures. This delectable dish is an ideal companion for warm summer days, offering a burst of refreshing flavors that tantalize the palate. Whether you're preparing a backyard barbecue, hosting a casual gathering, or simply seeking a delightful meal, this culinary masterpiece is guaranteed to satisfy your cravings. With its vibrant colors and irresistible blend of zesty and cold elements, the zesty cold chicken pasta salad promises an extraordinary culinary experience that will leave you craving for more. Get ready to embark on a culinary journey as we unveil the secrets behind creating the perfect zesty cold chicken pasta salad, a dish sure to impress even the most discerning of palates.

Here are our top 8 tried and tested recipes!

ZESTY CHICKEN PASTA SALAD RECIPE BY TASTY



Zesty Chicken Pasta Salad Recipe by Tasty image

Here's what you need: bowtie pasta, shredded chicken, cucumber, celery, black olive, cherry tomatoes, carrot, italian dressing

Provided by Claire Nolan

Categories     Lunch

Time 30m

Yield 1 serving

Number Of Ingredients 8

1 cup bowtie pasta, cooked
½ cup shredded chicken
¼ cup cucumber, diced
¼ cup celery, diced
¼ cup black olive, sliced
6 cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
½ cup carrot, julienned
3 tablespoons italian dressing

Steps:

  • In a bowl, combine pasta, chicken, cucumber, celery, black olives, sliced tomatoes, carrots, and Italian dressing.
  • Mix well and pour pasta salad into a reusable container. Pack with fruits and veggies for sides.
  • Enjoy!

Nutrition Facts : Calories 963 calories, Carbohydrate 142 grams, Fat 23 grams, Fiber 10 grams, Protein 46 grams, Sugar 15 grams

ZESTY COLD CHICKEN PASTA SALAD



Zesty Cold Chicken Pasta Salad image

A quick, easy, tasty, and colorful chicken pasta salad that looks as great as it tastes. Serve at room temperature or cool for at least 1 hour.

Provided by Krysie

Categories     Salad     100+ Pasta Salad Recipes     Tomato Pasta Salad Recipes

Time 23m

Yield 4

Number Of Ingredients 8

1 (8 ounce) package rotini pasta
1 cup fat-free mayonnaise
1 teaspoon lemon pepper seasoning
½ teaspoon dried mustard
24 cherry tomatoes, halved
1 (15 ounce) can peas, drained
2 (5 ounce) cans chicken packed in water, drained
1 pinch paprika

Steps:

  • Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil; cook rotini at a boil until tender yet firm to the bite, about 8 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water.
  • Mix mayonnaise, lemon pepper seasoning, and dried mustard together in a large bowl. Mix in cherry tomatoes, peas, and chicken. Fold in rotini. Sprinkle paprika over salad before serving.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 446.7 calories, Carbohydrate 69.3 g, Cholesterol 44 mg, Fat 7.3 g, Fiber 6.3 g, Protein 27.4 g, SaturatedFat 1.8 g, Sodium 1102.4 mg, Sugar 12.8 g

ZESTY CHICKEN PASTA SALAD



Zesty Chicken Pasta Salad image

Combining the coolness of a salad and the zesty seasonings of pizza, this salad is perfect for a summer get together. Megan Moore, Memphis, Tennessee

Provided by Taste of Home

Categories     Lunch

Time 55m

Yield 14 servings.

Number Of Ingredients 15

1 package (12 ounces) tricolor spiral pasta
2 cups cubed part-skim mozzarella cheese
2 cups cubed cooked chicken
1 large green pepper, chopped
1 large sweet red pepper, chopped
1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
2 cans (2-1/4 ounces each) sliced ripe olives, drained
6 green onions, sliced
1 package (3-1/2 ounces) sliced pepperoni, halved
1/2 cup canola oil
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Steps:

  • Cook pasta according to package directions; rinse with cold water and drain well. In a large serving bowl, combine the cheese, chicken, peppers, mushrooms, olives, green onions, pepperoni and pasta. , In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining ingredients. Pour over salad; toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate until serving. Toss before serving.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 300 calories, Fat 17g fat (5g saturated fat), Cholesterol 36mg cholesterol, Sodium 415mg sodium, Carbohydrate 22g carbohydrate (2g sugars, Fiber 2g fiber), Protein 14g protein.

ZESTY CHICKEN SALAD



Zesty Chicken Salad image

Provided by Food Network Kitchen

Time 10m

Number Of Ingredients 11

2 chicken breasts, boneless and diced
1/2 red pepper, diced
1/2 red onion, diced
2/3 cup mayonnaise
1 lime, juiced
1 jalapeno, minced and seeded
Tabasco sauce
1 bunch fresh cilantro
3 large lettuce leaves
1/2 tomato, diced
1/2 cup black olives, sliced

Steps:

  • In large bowl combine chicken, red pepper and onion. In small bowl mix mayonnaise and lime juice. Add jalapeno. Season with salt, pepper, and a dash of tabasco sauce. Drizzle over chicken mixture and toss to coat. Snip cilantro over chicken and mound chicken mixture on lettuce. Garnish with tomato and black olives. Serve.

ZESTY SOUTHWESTERN PASTA SALAD



Zesty Southwestern Pasta Salad image

This goes over well at potlucks - when there's a choice of more than one pasta salad, this one usually goes first. Oddly enough, the leftovers make good soup, too! I just add the leftovers to some vegetable broth and canned tomatoes, and season it with more of the same spices that were in the recipe. This recipe originally came from allrecipes.com, but I have tweaked it in a way that suits me better. As always I have cut back on the oil and lime juice, so add more back in if it suits you. I love the amount of chili powder and cumin in this, but it may be a bit much for some so use less if you don't like those flavors as much as I do.

Provided by Vino Girl

Categories     Pasta Shells

Time 2h30m

Yield 10 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 14

8 ounces small shell pasta
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 cups frozen corn
1 (15 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 red onion, chopped
1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
1 cup grape tomatoes, halved

Steps:

  • Prepare pasta according to package instructions.
  • When making pasta salad, I like to cook my pasta a minute or two less than recommended so it stays firmer in the dressing, and holds up better against breaking apart when tossing.
  • Drain and rinse under cold water.
  • In a large bowl whisk together oil, lime juice, chili powder, cumin, salt and garlic.
  • Gently stir in pasta and set aside.
  • Gently stir in corn, beans, green pepper, red pepper, onion, tomatoes and 1/2 of the cilantro leaves.
  • Garnish with the remaining cilantro.
  • Cover and chill at least 2 hours.

ZESTY COLD PASTA SALAD



Zesty Cold Pasta Salad image

There are many ways to make this however i haven't found one on here. I didn't look too hard but the way I make it is not listed. Feel free to add and remove the veggies you do not like or just use what you have on hand I'm doing the basic structure of how i do this for a cheap quick side dish to any meal. You can buy the suddenly salads and make it too. Please note: 2oz is the average sizes for pasta.. i suggest using your best judgement in how much you want to make I scale it up slightly so I can have left overs with left over chicken added in for a great lunch.

Provided by Pril4904

Categories     Low Cholesterol

Time 20m

Yield 4 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 7

8 ounces pasta (any type)
1 medium cucumber
1 large tomatoes (or cherry tomatoes)
1 medium bell pepper
4 sprigs flat leaf parsley (use the stems too)
1 small onion (optional)
2 tablespoons Italian dressing (i use zesty Italian dressing just ensure it's coated on everything some use olive oil)

Steps:

  • boil water add salt to water if you desire (i also add a bit of oil) add pasta once boiling. cook till pasta is to your liking.
  • While the pasta is cooking, Cut up your cucumber, tomatoes, pepper, parsley into bit sized pieces. Place them your dish to mix and serve.
  • drain the pasta, and run them over cold water. Drain more.
  • Check pasta to ensure it's cold add to bowl adding the Italian dressing mix and serve. (note always better the next day).

ZESTY ORANGE CHICKEN PASTA SALAD



Zesty Orange Chicken Pasta Salad image

MIRACLE WHIP FREE Dressing and a splash of OJ give this better-for-you chicken pasta salad its zesty appeal.

Provided by My Food and Family

Categories     Home

Time 3h20m

Yield Makes 6 servings.

Number Of Ingredients 8

1 cup MIRACLE WHIP FREE Dressing
1/2 cup orange juice
2 tsp. dried basil leaves
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 1-1/4 lb.), cooked, cubed
2 cups rotini pasta pasta, cooked, drained
1 can (11 oz.) mandarin oranges, drained
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Steps:

  • Mix dressing, juice and seasonings in large bowl.
  • Add remaining ingredients; mix lightly. Refrigerate several hours or until chilled.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 370, Fat 10 g, SaturatedFat 1 g, TransFat 0 g, Cholesterol 60 mg, Sodium 390 mg, Carbohydrate 0 g, Fiber 3 g, Sugar 0 g, Protein 28 g

ZESTY CHICKEN PASTA SALAD RECIPE - (5/5)



Zesty Chicken Pasta Salad Recipe - (5/5) image

Provided by WeBHeelin_50

Number Of Ingredients 10

2 pkgs Betty Crocker Suddenly Salad "Classic" Pasta Salad
2 12.5oz cans premium white chunk chicken meat, drained
1 16oz bottle Kraft Zesty Italian Dressing
4-5 seeded, diced Roma tomatoes
1 can Garbanzo Bean (Chick Peas), drained
1 small can sliced black olives, diced
1 can sliced water chestnuts
1 med Red Onion, diced
1 large English Seedless Cucumber, de-pulped and diced
1 5oz container of grated Parmesan Cheese

Steps:

  • Cook pasta according to directions on package While waiting on water to boil, in a large Tupperware container: Add entire bottle Kraft Zesty Italian Dressing, seasoning from pasta kit along with around 2.5oz of the extra grated Parmesan that you purchased. Whisk together until fully incorporated. Add chicken and whisk together until chicken is completely broken up. Add diced Roma tomatoes, onion, olives, water chestnuts, Cucumber, Garbanzo beans. Drain pasta, incorporate in Tupperware container with other ingredients. Garnish with remaining Parmesan Cheese. Eat right away or chill.

Tips:

  • Use high-quality ingredients for the best flavor. Fresh, flavorful chicken and crisp, crunchy vegetables will make a big difference.
  • Cook the chicken breast ahead of time and let it cool completely before adding it to the salad. This will help prevent the chicken from overcooking and becoming dry.
  • Use a variety of vegetables in your salad. This will add color, texture, and flavor. Some good choices include bell peppers, cucumbers, carrots, and celery.
  • Don't be afraid to experiment with different dressings and marinades. A zesty vinaigrette or a creamy ranch dressing can both be delicious with chicken pasta salad.
  • Serve the salad immediately after making it, or chill it for at least 30 minutes before serving for a more refreshing flavor.

Conclusion:

Cold chicken pasta salad is a delicious, refreshing, and easy-to-make dish that is perfect for summer potlucks, picnics, and barbecues. With just a few simple ingredients, you can create a flavorful salad that everyone will enjoy. So next time you're looking for a quick and easy meal, give this cold chicken pasta salad a try.

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