Description
Creamy cold chicken spinach pasta salad delivers Mediterranean flavors with tender chicken and crisp vegetables. Fresh herbs and tangy dressing complement the pasta, creating a refreshing meal perfect for summer gatherings and light lunches.
Ingredients
Scale
- 8 oz (226 g) pasta (rotini, bowties, or penne)
- 2 cups cooked, shredded or diced chicken (rotisserie works great)
- 2 cups fresh baby spinach
- ¼ cup crumbled feta or Parmesan cheese
- ½ cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- ¼ cup red onion, thinly sliced
- ¼ cup sliced black olives (optional)
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 2 tbsps red wine vinegar (or lemon juice)
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- ½ tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp salt (adjust to taste)
- ¼ tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Pasta Preparation: Cook pasta in heavily salted water until al dente, then rapidly cool under cold water to stop cooking and prevent sticking.
- Vinaigrette Creation: Vigorously whisk olive oil, red wine vinegar, garlic, Dijon mustard, dried oregano, salt, and pepper until the dressing transforms into a silky, uniform emulsion.
- Ingredient Assembly: Combine cooled pasta, shredded chicken, baby spinach, cherry tomatoes, red onion, and black olives in a large mixing bowl, gently tossing to ensure even distribution of ingredients.
- Dressing Integration: Delicately pour the prepared vinaigrette over the salad, using a light folding technique to coat each component without crushing the tender spinach leaves.
- Cheese Garnish: Sprinkle crumbled feta or grated Parmesan across the salad, introducing a luxurious, tangy element to the dish.
- Flavor Melding: Refrigerate the completed salad for at least 30 minutes, allowing the ingredients to harmonize and develop a more intense flavor profile. Serve thoroughly chilled as a refreshing, nutritious meal.
Notes
- Prevent Pasta Clumping: Rinse pasta immediately with cold water after cooking to stop the cooking process and prevent sticky, clumped noodles that can ruin the salad’s texture.
- Precise Chicken Preparation: Cut chicken into uniform bite-sized pieces to ensure even distribution and consistent flavor in every forkful of the salad.
- Gentle Dressing Technique: Toss the salad carefully to avoid bruising delicate spinach leaves, using a light folding motion that coats ingredients without breaking down their fresh appearance.
- Flavor Marination Strategy: Refrigerate the salad for at least 30 minutes before serving, allowing the vinaigrette to penetrate the ingredients and develop a more complex, harmonious taste profile.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Snacks
- Method: Mixing
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 3
- Calories: 480
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 500mg
- Fat: 24g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 18g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 44g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 28g
- Cholesterol: 75mg