Italian Pasta Salad is an easy side dish that includes grilled & ready chicken, tomatoes, olives, and Italian dressing. Simple to make in under 20 minutes.
Do you love cold pasta salad? Our family does! When I was a kid I would spend a good portion of my summers off from school at my aunt’s house.
I would spend the whole day swimming or playing tennis with my cousins. It was so much fun. Then in the evening before my dad would come to pick me up for the night my aunt would call us in to grab a plate & have a little dinner.
We would load up with grilled chicken & cold pasta salad & head back out to eat poolside. We were dripping wet, wrapped in towels & our fingers looked like prunes, but it was special.
Those summers were so much fun & every time I have pasta salad I remember it. So of course I love making a dish that brings back so many great memories- especially for large gatherings like game time. You know I’m doing a lot of preparing for that right now!
Italian Pasta Salad Recipe
Of course the inspiration for this recipe struck when I was already on my way to the store. So I picked up some chicken breasts, Italian dressing, and the rest of the ingredients.
I’m telling you – this is a favorite. When it takes less than 20 minutes to make a dish, it quickly becomes my “go-to” recipe for so many occasions- especially game time.
Like I said before – it’s ready in less than 20 minutes. Perfect for summer days when you don’t want to be in the kitchen.
Here are some commonly asked questions
Can I use fresh chicken?
Yes, absolutely, that will work just fine. Just slice into strips and cook in the skillet until cooked through before adding to the salad.
Can I use canned chicken?
Yes, that will work fine too. Just make sure to drain well before adding to the mix.
Can I use rotisserie chicken?
That is a great use for rotisserie chicken. We do that often and it saves a ton of time.
Can I use a creamy Italian dressing?
I have not personally tried it, so I can’t say for sure how that would turn out. But I would imagine that if you are a lover of creamy Italian dressing that it would taste great.
Bring this to your next gathering, no matter the occasion. I promise you will come home with an empty bowl.
How many can this serve?
This recipe makes about 12 servings. It is enough for our family of 5 adult appetites and some for seconds and leftovers too.
easy italian pasta salad
Can this recipe be doubled?
You can, and we do it often. If you are serving this as a backyard BBQ, you will want to double this for sure.
HOW DO YOU MAKE Italian Pasta Salad?
- Heat chicken in a small skillet for several minutes until thawed & heated through.
- Cook pasta to package directions, drain & rinse under cold water, shake well & transfer to a large bowl.
- Dice the tomatoes & add them to the pasta bowl along with prepared chicken, olives, parmesan chips & shredded parmesan.
- Add the dressing & mix well. Chill for at least 30 minutes before serving.
What is the best way to store leftover pasta salad?
Just keep it refrigerated for up to 7 days. As long as you don’t let it sit out at room temperature for too long, this should keep well when chilled.
Italian Pasta Salad Ingredients
- chicken breast strips pre-cooked, frozen- ready to be reheated
- colorful spiral noodles
- Roma tomatoes diced
- sliced olives
- parmesan chips
- shredded parmesan cheese
- Italian dressing
best Italian pasta salad recipe
Products I love when making Italian pasta salad…
This Italian pasta salad recipe is SUPER EASY and delicious – and if you’re like me, then you maybe already have some of these items on hand OR maybe you have never made pasta salad before, & you might be a bit nervous – but you’re going to love it. I have made a list below of the things I absolutely can’t live without when it comes to making this side dish recipe.
- chicken breast strips
- saucepan
- colorful spiral noodles
- sliced olives
- parmesan chips
- shredded parmesan cheese
- Italian dressing
- spatulas
- mixing bowl
If you love this Easy Italian Pasta Salad recipe, you’re going to love these other delicious recipes too. Please click each link below to find the easy, printable recipe!
zesty Italian pasta salad
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Italian Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 4 cups chicken breast strips pre-cooked, frozen- ready to be reheated
- 12 oz colorful spiral noodles
- 3 roma tomatoes diced
- 3 oz sliced olives
- 1½ cups parmesan chips
- 1 cup shredded parmesan cheese
- ⅓ cup Italian dressing
Instructions
- Heat chicken in a small skillet for several minutes until thawed & heated through.
- Cook pasta to package directions, drain & rinse under cold water, shake well & transfer to a large bowl.
- Dice the tomatoes & add them to the pasta bowl along with prepared chicken, olives, parmesan chips & shredded parmesan.
- Add the dressing & mix well. Chill for at least 30 minutes before serving.
Nutritional information for the recipe is provided as a courtesy and is approximate. Please double-check with your own dietary calculator for the best accuracy. We at Yummi Haus cannot guarantee the accuracy of the nutritional information given for any recipe on this site.
Tamar says
It looks so filling!
I remember as a child, my mom made the tri-color pasta and I refused to eat it because it was colored!
Gina Kleinworth says
Ha! I remember doing things like that too when I was little Tamar. Glad to hear I’m not the only one!
Have a great week!
Kim Cunningham says
This would make a great lunch for my daughter to take to school.
JanetGoingCrazy says
This salad looks delicious and the perfect side dish for my dad’s crockpot lasagna! I think I’ll try to make it this week. [client]