Creamy Balsamic Chicken Pasta Salad

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This creamy balsamic chicken pasta salad is a great make-ahead meal. Add your favorite raw veggies, cheeses, or nuts.

Working from home somehow means that I often forget to eat lunch. 

I hate having to scrounge around in the fridge that resembles a meal. Chips and salsa are not enough fuel, no matter how tasty they are.

That’s one of the reasons I love dinners that can be extended for multiple meals. This balsamic chicken pasta salad started out as a whole chicken, spatchcocked and grilled. 

Whole chicken is one of our favorite things to cook all year long. Oven-roasted in the colder months, the leftovers are transformed into soups like white bean chicken chili. 

Warm months? Pasta salad of course! Not only is it utterly customizable depending on what veggies are in season, you can make a huge batch of it and eat for days, which has been solving my lunch woes lately.

This chicken pasta salad features a very simple creamy dressing made with yogurt and balsamic vinegar. 

This tangy-sweet combo is perfect for pairing with chicken, pasta, and crisp veggies, and you can customize the flavors to your liking.

Ingredients for chicken pasta salad

Full list of ingredients including quantities is located in the recipe card.

You’ll need:

• Pasta
• Greek yogurt
• Balsamic vinegar
• Olive oil
• Cooked chicken – You can bake up some chicken specially for this recipe, or use leftover chicken. A rotisserie chicken is perfect for this recipe!
• Cucumbers
• Tomatoes – Use cherry or grape tomatoes, which are sweeter than large slicing tomatoes. You’ll only have to halve or quarter them.
• Celery
• Bell pepper
• Red onion – If red onion is too sharp for you, swap in green onions (scallions).
• Parmesan cheese

What kind of pasta should I use for pasta salad?

When it comes to making pasta salads, I like pastas that hold their shape well and complement the variety of flavors of textures that get added to the salad.

I like cavatappi, which are shaped like corkscrews, best for this salad. If you can’t find it, fusilli pasta is a good swap.

You can also use medium shells, macaroni, rotelle (wagon wheels), or farfalle. 

Nearly any shaped pasta will do, but avoid ribbon, strand, or tubular pasta, with the exception of penne.

Make sure to cook your pasta just to al dente, and rinse it under cold water to stop the cooking process. It will soften a bit and absorb some of the dressing as it sits, so you don’t want to overcook it.

Do I chop or shred chicken for pasta salad?

When it comes to preparing the chicken, anything goes! I often have shredded chicken on hand from leftovers, but if I’m cooking up chicken specifically for pasta salad, I will often chop it.

Cut the chicken into bite-size pieces, about the same size as your larger veggies or the pasta shapes.

You can shred chicken quickly by using the paddle attachment in your stand mixer. Let it run for 30-60 seconds and you’ll have shredded chicken!

What can I add to chicken pasta salad?

Pasta salads are one of my perfect foods because you can add just about anything.

Broccoli? Check. Bacon? Check. Shredded cheese? Of course!

Note that some veggies will benefit from a quick blanching before adding to the salad. 

This is just boiling them very briefly and then transferring to a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process. 

Blanching makes your veggies tender-crisp and perfect for pasta salads.

Other things you can add to pasta salads include sunflower seeds, candied pecans, tomato confit, chopped hard-boiled eggs, or crispy fried onions.

I like parmesan in this salad, but feta is a great option. Want something a little creamier and less salty? Opt for goat cheese crumbles.

Fresh herbs are delicious in cold pasta salads, but make sure you don’t overpower the other flavors! A bit of fresh oregano or dill will liven up the salad (don’t use both!).

Choose favorites that go together and create your own perfect salad.

How long does pasta salad last?

Pasta salad will last for 3 or 4 days in the refrigerator. 

Make sure to put it in an airtight container to keep it the freshest, and so odors do not affect the rest of your fridge.

Keep in mind that as the salad sits, it will absorb more of the dressing, so you might want to have extra dressing on hand for serving.

If you are adding lettuce or other greens to your pasta salad, do so just before serving, as they will not retain their crispness after being mixed in and stored.

Pasta salad does not freeze well.

This creamy balsamic chicken pasta salad has a dairy-based dressing, so do not keep it out of the refrigerator for any longer than two hours.

Tuck this chicken pasta salad into your weekday lunch tote, or enjoy it for dinner!