Easy Pasta Salad Recipe {Simple & Filling}
Easy Pasta Salad is loaded with savory chicken, veggies, and tangy Italian dressing
My son plays baseball and when it is baseball season, I make this every.single.week. I pack it in reusable deli containers and bring it in the cooler. Everyone loves it, even the picky eaters.
Hot summer days call for cold dinners. This is a hearty and satisfying pasta salad without being heavy or time consuming to make.
Ingredients
Pasta salad is also a great recipe for using any random veggies and meat you have lingering in the fridge.
- bowtie pasta
- bell peppers (any colors)
- cherry tomatoes
- sliced black olives
- whole kernel corn
- cucumbers
- rotisserie chicken
- Italian dressing
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Fresh and simple, AND comes together in under 30 minutes.
Rotini pasta is a great alternative to bowtie pasta. All the twists hold the yummy seasonings of the dressing.
Rinsing the pasta under cold water is an important step; it rinses away the extra starches that can make the pasta sticky. Then toss the cooled pasta in just a bit of olive oil and it can set to be ready for when you have all the other ingredients prepared.
Variations
You can pretty much add anything! That's the great thing. Pick your favorites and leave out the rest. Here are some great variations to try:
- marinated artichoke hearts, chopped
- shredded cheddar cheese
- mini mozzarella balls
- garbanzo beans
- zucchini
- green onions
- sliced banana peppers
- fresh parsley
Make Ahead Pasta Salad
Pasta salad is an easy recipe to make ahead of time. Put this entire recipe together up to 24 hours before serving it and keep it refrigerated. The dressing soaks into the past and chicken but the veggies don;t get soggy or mushy.
Storing pasta salad
This is all made in a large mixing bowl. You can store it as-is, covered in the fridge for up to 4 days. Or you can divide it into easy grab-and-go containers. Either way, 4 days in the fridge in an airtight container.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Classic Pasta Salad Recipe {Easy and Filling}
ByIngredients
- 1 lb 16 oz uncooked bowtie pasta
- 2 english cucumbers peeled and diced
- 3 bell peppers any color, diced
- 12 oz cherry tomatoes- leave whole
- 1 can 14oz sliced black olives, drained
- 1 can 14oz whole kernel corn, drained
- 4 cups chopped rotisserie chicken
- 24 oz bottle of Italian salad dressing I use Olive Garden
Instructions
- Begin by boiling pasta according to package directions to be al dente.
- Drain the pasta and immediately rinse with cold water to cool it down. Make sure pasta is cool and well drained and add it to a large mixing bowl. Toss with a drizzle of olive oil.
- Wash and prep produce. Dice and chop and add each to the large bowl.
- Finally, pour Italian dressing over all of the ingredients and mix well.
- Cover and store in the refrigerator.