This tangy hen pasta salad is full of Mediterranean flavors and is our family-favorite summer time lunch or dinner! It’s a mixture of tender hen, solar dried tomatoes, artichokes, Parmesan cheese, recent herbs, and a zesty French dressing.
Summer time is pasta salad season, in our opinion. Right here’s a brand new recipe our total household goes loopy over: this hen pasta salad! It’s filled with vibrant Mediterranean-inspired flavors, and so enjoyable and carefree, Alex and I like it for patio meals or picnic lunches.
The hen is straightforward to pan sear and comes out so flavorful! Pair that with each recent and solar dried tomatoes, tangy artichokes, Parmesan cheese, recent herbs, and a zesty French dressing, and the combination of flavors and textures is unreal! It’s a spin this in style tortellini salad we’ve been making for years, and this hen model is a brand new fave.
“This dish is superb. The flavors are spot on. Such a refreshing summer time dish. I put the hen breasts on the grill. Very straightforward recipe. Can’t wait to make it once more!” -Nancy
Substances on this hen pasta salad recipe
We love this hen pasta salad recipe as a lunch thought (it saves properly for days) or a easy dinner on the patio. It’s additionally nice as a summer time aspect dish for a potluck or barbecue. Whereas the ingredient listing within the recipe under could seem lengthy, by no means worry! Many are pantry staples.
Hen: You’ll want hen cutlets right here, or you possibly can butterfly the hen your self (merely slice it in half horizontally).
Penne pasta: We like penne pasta in a pasta salad, however you need to use different brief pasta like fusilli (spirals) or shells.
Cherry tomatoes and sundried tomatoes: Two sorts of tomatoes add massive taste.
Canned artichoke hearts: Artichokes deliver a signature tang: these are required!
Pink onion, arugula, garlic, and parsley (non-obligatory): These recent elements spherical out the recent flavors.
Contemporary lemon: Each the zest and juice add massive taste to this recipe.
Shaved Parmesan cheese: This savory, chewy component makes the salad extraordinarily satisfying. Omit it for dairy-free.
Seasonings and pantry elements: Italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, smoked paprika, and salt spherical out the seasonings listing. Olive oil is used for cooking the hen and the dressing, and crimson wine vinegar makes a pop within the dressing.
Learn how to make hen pasta salad (primary steps)
This hen pasta salad recipe requires about half-hour of prep time to prepare dinner the hen, boil the pasta, and make the dressing. There are some things you are able to do upfront (see under). Listed here are the essential steps:
Step 1: Combine the hen cutlets with salt and seasonings. Add olive oil to a big skillet and warmth over medium excessive warmth. Add the hen and prepare dinner for 3 to five minutes per aspect, till browned on either side. Relaxation 5 minutes earlier than slicing into cubes, then measure out 2 ½ cups so as to add to the salad.
Step 2: Boil the pasta in salted water till it’s simply al dente. Begin tasting a couple of minutes earlier than the bundle recommends: you need it to be tender however nonetheless a bit agency on the within; normally round 7 to eight minutes.
Step 3: Whisk collectively the lemon zest, lemon juice, crimson wine vinegar, garlic, Italian seasoning, and kosher salt. Chop the tomatoes, solar dried tomatoes, artichokes, onion, and herbs.
Step 4: As soon as the pasta is completed, instantly place it in a bowl with the greens, dressing, cooked hen, Parmesan cheese shavings, arugula, and recent floor black pepper. Serve and luxuriate in!
💡Why purchase natural hen? We advocate shopping for natural because it’s the high-quality meat that’s raised sustainably with out chemical compounds. Natural requirements require that the chickens have entry to the outside and can’t be given antibiotics or progress hormones (completely satisfied chickens!).
Variations: different greens & cooking strategies
There are a great deal of methods to combine up this hen pasta salad — listed here are a couple of concepts we love!
Grilled hen: One recipe tester used grilled hen and mentioned it was scrumptious: we love this concept!
Spinach or kale: Use these greens as a substitute of the arugula
Contemporary or canned corn: Including corn provides a pleasant summery component.
Different greens: like zucchini, bell pepper, or olives are nice adders
Feta cheese: Utilizing feta as a substitute of Parmesan provides one other pop of salt.
Basil, dill or oregano: these herbs are additionally scrumptious (take into accout, basil turns brown throughout storage).
Storing leftovers and make forward data
This hen pasta salad recipe shops as much as 5 days refrigerated and nonetheless tastes nice! Earlier than serving leftovers, permit them to come back to room temperature and add a swirl extra olive oil or a bit extra salt as needed.
Another choice for making this pasta salad forward is cooking the hen and pasta and making the dressing, then refrigerating them individually. Proper earlier than serving, chop the greens and blend collectively the elements.
Extra pasta salad recipes
We’ve made so many pasta salad recipes, and each has a spot in our hearts! Listed here are a few of our favorites:
Steadily requested questions
Can I make this salad forward of time?
Completely! This salad is a superb make-ahead possibility. You possibly can put together all of the parts individually, retailer them within the fridge, and mix them simply earlier than serving. The flavors will meld and develop much more over time.
Can I substitute the arugula with one other leafy inexperienced?
Whereas arugula provides a peppery chew that enhances the opposite elements, you possibly can substitute it with spinach, kale, and even romaine lettuce if you happen to desire a milder taste.
How can I add extra protein to this salad?
In the event you’d like to extend the protein content material, think about including cooked chickpeas or white beans to the salad (enhance the salt as properly to account for the extra elements).
How do I retailer leftover hen pasta salad?
Retailer any leftover salad in an hermetic container within the fridge for as much as 3-4 days. The arugula might wilt barely over time, however the total taste will stay scrumptious
This tangy hen pasta salad is full of Mediterranean flavors and makes for a satisfying summer time lunch or dinner! It’s a stellar mixture of tender hen, solar dried tomatoes, artichokes, Parmesan cheese, recent herbs, and a zesty French dressing.
For the hen
2 boneless skinless hen breasts or 4 cutlets (about 1 pound, natural if potential)
Cook dinner the hen: Pat the hen dry with a paper towel and sprinkle on either side with the kosher salt*. In a small bowl, combine the garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, smoked paprika, and some grinds of black pepper, then sprinkle over the hen. Add the olive oil to a big skillet and warmth over medium excessive warmth. Add the hen and prepare dinner for 3 to five minutes per aspect, till browned on either side. When the interior temperature is 165°F or the middle is now not pink, take away to a plate. Relaxation 5 minutes earlier than slicing into cubes, then measure out 2 ½ cups so as to add to the salad.
Begin a big pot of well-salted water to boil. Boil the pasta till al dente, in line with the bundle directions. Drain the pasta and run cool water over it till it’s room temperature.
In the meantime, put together the tomatoes, solar dried tomatoes, artichoke hearts, onion, and parsley or chives as famous within the elements listing above.
In a big bowl, whisk collectively the lemon zest, lemon juice, crimson wine vinegar, garlic, Italian seasoning, and kosher salt. Then whisk within the olive oil.
As quickly because the pasta is completed, add it to the big bowl of dressing and toss with the chopped greens and herbs. Add the arugula, Parmesan cheese, and recent floor black pepper and stir to mix.
Style and add extra salt to style if needed. Serve instantly. Shops as much as 5 days refrigerated (leftovers style nice; permit to come to room temperature and add a swirl extra olive oil or a bit extra salt as needed).
Notes
*Observe: If the hen is nearer to 1 ½ kilos, use as much as 1 ¼ teaspoons kosher salt. In the event you purchase the hen as breasts that aren’t already butterflied or cutlets, butterfly the hen by inserting your hand excessive of every hen breast and utilizing a pointy knife to rigorously slice the breast horizontally, leaving the sting intact so it might open up like a e-book (or butterfly!). Unfold the breast like a e-book, then minimize alongside the fold to separate the 2 halves.
