Italian Chicken Pasta Salad With Sun Dried Tomatoes

This chewy, tangy Italian Chicken Pasta Salad With Sun Dried Tomatoes is made with tender rotini, fresh mozzarella pearls, and savory chicken breast, ready in just 25 minutes. The sun-dried tomatoes release their rich, red oil into the vinaigrette, coating every spiral of pasta in intense flavor. I love making a big batch of this for easy work-from-home lunches throughout the week.

Better Than Takeaway

Most deli pasta salads suffer from the same problem: they sit in the display case for too long, leaving the pasta bloated and the vegetables soggy. By making this at home, you get to control the texture, ensuring the rotini stays perfectly al dente and the spinach remains crisp until the very last moment.

My biggest mistake when I first tried this was throwing out the oil from the jar of sun-dried tomatoes. I quickly learned that this oil is liquid gold—packed with concentrated tomato flavor—and using it as the base for the dressing makes this salad taste better than anything you can buy at a counter.

Italian Chicken Pasta Salad With Sun Dried Tomatoes Ingredients

• 8 oz (225g) rotini or fusilli pasta
• 2 cups cooked chicken breast, cubed or shredded
• 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil, roughly chopped
• 1 cup fresh mozzarella pearls (bocconcini), drained
• 2 cups baby spinach, roughly chopped
• 1/4 cup red onion, finely diced
• 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, torn

For the Dressing:

• 3 tbsp oil from the sun-dried tomato jar
• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tbsp white wine vinegar
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper

How To Make Italian Chicken Pasta Salad With Sun Dried Tomatoes

1. Cook the Pasta: Boil the rotini in a large pot of salted water according to package directions for al dente. Drain and rinse under cool water to stop the cooking process, but don’t let it get ice cold.
2. Whisk the Dressing: While the pasta cooks, whisk together the sun-dried tomato oil, olive oil, vinegar, minced garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper in a small bowl or jar until emulsified.
3. Prep the Mix-ins: Chop the sun-dried tomatoes, dice the chicken, and slice the red onion. If your mozzarella pearls are large, cut them in half.
4. Assemble the Salad: In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooled pasta, chicken, tomatoes, mozzarella, spinach, and onion. Pour the dressing over the top.
5. Toss and Serve: Toss everything gently until well coated. Top with fresh torn basil just before serving.

Recipe Tips

• Don’t skip the jar oil: The oil packed with the sun-dried tomatoes is full of flavor. If you use plain olive oil instead, you lose that signature tangy, savory depth.
• Dress while slightly warm: If the pasta is completely cold, the dressing sits on the surface. If it’s slightly warm (not hot), the pasta absorbs the vinaigrette for a more flavorful bite.
• Cut ingredients uniformly: Try to chop the chicken and sun-dried tomatoes to be roughly the same size as the pasta shapes so you get a bit of everything on your fork.

What To Serve With Italian Chicken Pasta Salad

This salad is substantial enough to be a main course, but it pairs beautifully with crusty garlic bread to soak up any extra dressing. For a lighter summer dinner, serve it alongside grilled zucchini or roasted asparagus.

How To Store

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 to 4 days. The pasta will absorb more dressing as it sits, so you may want to drizzle a little extra olive oil and toss it again before serving.

FAQs

Can I use gluten-free pasta?
Yes, sturdy gluten-free shapes like rotini work well. Rinse them thoroughly with cold water after cooking to prevent them from becoming gummy in the salad.

Should I serve this cold or at room temperature?
It tastes best at room temperature where the flavors are most pronounced. If eating from the fridge, let it sit on the counter for 15 minutes first.

Can I use rotisserie chicken?
Absolutely. Rotisserie chicken is a great time-saver and adds extra moisture and flavor compared to plain poached chicken breast.

Nutrition

• Calories: 480 kcal
• Total Fat: 22g
• Saturated Fat: 6g
• Cholesterol: 65mg
• Sodium: 580mg
• Total Carbohydrate: 45g
• Protein: 28g

Try More Recipes:

• Cold Italian Shrimp And Crab Seafood Pasta Salad
• Keto Low Carb Italian Pasta Salad
• Italian Grinder Sub Sandwich Pasta Salad With Salami Recipe

Italian Chicken Pasta Salad With Sun Dried Tomatoes

Recipe by Paula

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

15

minutes

Cooking time

10

minutes

Total time

25

minutes

Italian Chicken Pasta Salad With Sun Dried Tomatoes combines chewy rotini, tender chicken, and creamy mozzarella pearls in a tangy tomato-infused vinaigrette. Ready in 25 minutes, it is the perfect make-ahead lunch or easy potluck side dish.

Ingredients

• 8 oz (225g) rotini or fusilli pasta

• 2 cups cooked chicken breast, cubed or shredded

• 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil, roughly chopped

• 1 cup fresh mozzarella pearls (bocconcini), drained

• 2 cups baby spinach, roughly chopped

• 1/4 cup red onion, finely diced

• 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, torn

• 3 tbsp oil from the sun-dried tomato jar

• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

• 2 tbsp white wine vinegar

• 1 clove garlic, minced

• 1 tsp dried oregano

• 1/2 tsp salt

• 1/4 tsp black pepper

Directions

• Cook the rotini in a large pot of salted water according to package directions for al dente. Drain and rinse under cool water to stop the cooking process, but don’t let it get ice cold.
• While the pasta cooks, whisk together the sun-dried tomato oil, olive oil, vinegar, minced garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper in a small bowl or jar until emulsified.
• Chop the sun-dried tomatoes, dice the chicken, and slice the red onion. If your mozzarella pearls are large, cut them in half.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooled pasta, chicken, tomatoes, mozzarella, spinach, and onion. Pour the dressing over the top.
• Toss everything gently until well coated. Top with fresh torn basil just before serving.