Healthy Chicken Pesto Pasta Salad with Feta

This chicken pesto pasta salad is a practical 30-minute lunch option that combines baked shredded chicken, al dente pasta, and a sharp pesto-lemon dressing.

Focused on a structured assembly of six primary servings, the recipe utilizes fresh vegetables like cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, and red onions alongside crumbled feta and chopped spinach.

Unlike many pasta salads that rely on heavy dairy bases or pre-made vinaigrettes, this chicken pesto pasta salad with feta uses the natural oils in the pesto sauce, brightened by a significant amount of fresh lemon juice. The resulting texture is designed to hold up well in the refrigerator, making it a reliable candidate for a week of prepared lunches.

Ingredients for Chicken Pesto Pasta Salad

The ingredients for this salad are chosen for their ability to remain crisp and flavorful even after being tossed in the dressing. The preparation involves a mix of pantry staples and fresh produce.

• Chicken: One pound of boneless skinless chicken breasts.
• Pasta: 8 ounces (227 grams) of dried pasta.
• Greens and Vegetables: Two cups of loosely chopped spinach, one cup of sliced cherry tomatoes, and 1.5 cups of quartered English cucumber.
• Aromatics: Half a cup of thinly sliced red onion.
• Cheese: One-quarter cup of crumbled feta cheese.
• The Dressing: Three-quarters of a cup of pesto sauce and the juice of one large lemon.
• Chicken Seasoning: One tablespoon of olive oil, one teaspoon of garlic powder, one teaspoon of Italian spice blend, a half-teaspoon each of salt and black pepper, and an optional tablespoon of lemon juice and a pinch of red pepper flakes.
• Optional Add-ins: If you want more variety, you can include 1/4 cup each of sliced sundried tomatoes or jarred artichokes, and fresh basil leaves.

How to Make Chicken Pesto Pasta Salad

The recipe begins with preheating the oven to 400°F. While the oven heats, cook the dried pasta in boiling water according to the package instructions until it reaches an al dente texture. Drain the pasta and set it aside to cool completely.

In a small bowl, whisk together the pesto sauce and the lemon juice until the mixture is smooth. For the chicken, coat the breasts in olive oil and optional lemon juice, then rub them thoroughly with the garlic powder, Italian spice blend, salt, and black pepper. Place the chicken in a large glass dish and bake for 20 to 25 minutes.

Once the chicken is cooked through but still juicy, allow it to cool slightly before shredding it using your preferred method. To assemble the salad, combine the cooled pasta, shredded chicken, cherry tomatoes and cucumber, red onion, feta, and spinach in a large salad bowl. Pour the pesto-lemon mixture over the ingredients and toss well until everything is evenly coated.

Bake and Shred the Chicken

A central element of this pesto pasta salad with chicken is the baked shredded chicken. Using a 400°F oven allows the chicken to cook quickly enough to retain moisture without becoming tough. The seasoning rub—consisting of garlic powder, Italian spices, salt, and pepper—creates a savory exterior that complements the herbal notes of the pesto.

After baking for 20 to 25 minutes, the chicken needs a few minutes of rest to cool slightly. This makes the shredding process much easier. There are three supported ways to handle this:

1. Stand Mixer: Place the warm chicken in the bowl of a stand mixer and use the paddle attachment on a high setting. This is the fastest way to achieve a uniform shredded texture.
2. Two Forks: This traditional method involves pulling the meat apart manually, which results in slightly larger, rustic chunks.
3. Hand Shredding: Once the chicken is cool enough to touch, you can simply pull it apart by hand.

Regardless of the method, shredding the chicken instead of dicing it allows more surface area for the pesto lemon dressing to adhere to, ensuring every bite is seasoned.

Cook and Cool the Pasta

The 8 ounces of dried pasta should be cooked strictly to al dente. This is important because the pasta will absorb some of the lemon juice and oils from the pesto as it sits. If the pasta is overcooked at the start, it will become mushy after storage.

Draining and cooling the pasta before assembly is a necessary step for a cold pasta salad. If the pasta is added to the vegetables while still hot, the heat will wilt the chopped spinach and soften the English cucumber.

You can set the pasta aside in a colander or a separate bowl while the chicken finishes baking. Keeping the pasta at room temperature or cooler ensures the vegetables maintain their crunch in the final salad.

Mix the Pesto Lemon Dressing

The dressing for this lunch pasta salad is a simple emulsification of pesto sauce and fresh lemon juice. By stirring these together in a small bowl until they are smooth, you create a sauce that is thinner and more pourable than standard pesto.

The juice of one large lemon provides the necessary acidity to balance the richness of the basil and pine nuts in the pesto. It also helps to prevent the avocado or other fresh ingredients from browning too quickly, though the primary vegetable components here are sturdy enough on their own.

This dressing should be mixed until there are no clumps of pesto remaining, which allows it to coat the pasta and shredded chicken evenly during the final toss. For those looking for different flavor profiles for their midday meals, you may also find a pesto pasta salad with different cheese pairings useful.

Toss and Store the Salad

Final assembly takes place in a large salad bowl. Add the cooled pasta and shredded chicken, then layer in the sliced cherry tomatoes, quartered cucumber, and sliced red onion. The crumbled feta and chopped spinach are added last.

Pour the pesto-lemon mixture over the top and use large utensils to toss everything together. The goal is to ensure the pesto lemon dressing reaches into the curls of the pasta and the strands of the shredded chicken.

If you prefer a more seasoned finish, you can garnish with an extra pinch of Italian spices or more feta cheese. If you enjoy chicken-forward salads, you might also be interested in a chicken Caesar pasta salad as an alternative lunch option.

For pasta salad meal prep, place the finished salad into an airtight container. It can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 to 7 days. Because the dressing uses lemon juice and oil, it doesn’t separate or become watery as quickly as cream-based salads. This long storage window makes it one of the more dependable 7 pasta salad meal prep options for a full week of work lunches.

FAQ

How long does chicken pesto pasta salad last?
When stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator, this salad will remain fresh for up to 5 to 7 days. This makes it a great candidate for a weekly meal prep routine.

How do you shred the chicken?
There are three easy ways to shred the baked chicken once it has cooled slightly: use a stand mixer on a high setting with the paddle attachment, use two forks to pull the meat apart, or shred it by hand.

What optional add-ins can you use?
If you want to vary the texture or flavor, the recipe supports adding sliced sundried tomatoes, jarred artichokes, or extra fresh basil leaves.

Conclusion

This Chicken Pesto Pasta Salad with Feta is a straightforward, 30-minute meal that prioritizes practical prep and long-term freshness. By baking and shredding the chicken and utilizing a bright pesto-lemon dressing, you create a lunch pasta salad that works as well on day five as it does on day one. With a 5 to 7 day storage window in the fridge, it is a reliable choice for anyone looking for consistent lunch meal prep ideas that require minimal active time.

Chicken Pesto Pasta Salad with Feta

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• Author: Emma Carter
• Total Time: 30 minutes

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Description

This chicken pesto pasta salad is made with baked shredded chicken, pasta, pesto-lemon dressing, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, feta, and spinach. It comes together in 30 minutes and works well as a lunch pasta salad or make-ahead cold meal.

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Ingredients

For the Pesto Pasta Salad

• 227 grams dried pasta, 8 ounces
• 3/4 cup pesto sauce
• Juice of 1 large lemon
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, sliced
• 1 1/2 cups cucumber, quartered, about 1 medium English cucumber
• 1/2 cup red onion, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled
• 2 cups spinach, loosely chopped

Optional Add-Ins

• 1/4 cup sundried tomatoes, sliced
• 1/4 cup jarred artichokes, sliced
• Fresh basil leaves

For the Chicken

• 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice, optional
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon Italian spice blend
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 pinch red pepper flakes, optional

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Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 400°F.
• Cook the pasta according to the package instructions until al dente. Drain and set aside to cool.
• In a small bowl, stir together the pesto sauce and lemon juice until smooth.
• Coat the chicken breasts with olive oil and optional lemon juice.
• Rub the chicken with garlic powder, Italian spice blend, salt, black pepper, and optional red pepper flakes.
• Place the chicken in a large glass baking dish.
• Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the chicken is completely cooked through but not dry.
• Let the chicken cool slightly, then shred it with a stand mixer on high, with two forks, or by hand.
• In a large salad bowl, add the cooked pasta, shredded chicken, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, feta cheese, and spinach.
• Pour the pesto-lemon mixture over the pasta salad.
• Toss well until everything is coated.
• Garnish with extra spices or more feta cheese to taste, if desired.

Notes

• Let the pasta cool before tossing it with the other salad ingredients.
• The chicken can be shredded with a stand mixer, two forks, or by hand.
• Optional add-ins include sliced sundried tomatoes, sliced jarred artichokes, or fresh basil leaves.
• Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 to 7 days.
• Freezing and reheating instructions are not provided for this recipe.

• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Cook Time: 20mins