This healthy chicken pasta salad takes advantage of the season's fresh green beans and tomatoes. It's the perfect potluck salad for the summertime!
There are some meals that are meant to be eaten al fresco, and pasta salads definitely fall into that category. As soon as I finished making and photographing this particular pasta salad, I texted my husband to ask him if he wanted to meet the boys and me at a local beach for a dinnertime picnic and swim. I mean, how can you resist eating outside - on a beach, no less - on a beautiful summer's night?
When you're a kid and you're near the water, swimming takes precedence over eating. It took all of 30 seconds for the boys to whip off their shirts and run straight into the lake. Swimming eventually turned into digging holes, which inevitably shifted to landing handfuls of wet sand on each other's heads. Of course. The younger one started the sand slinging. Retaliation was swift and accurate.
We eventually wrangled the boys back to the towels and dug into the pasta, followed by some sweet, fresh Washington cherries. I'm partial to pasta salads with vinaigrette, and this recipe is no exception. Lemon juice, olive oil, a touch of agave or honey, salt and pepper. When you have access to sweet and flavorful summertime veggies and fresh herbs, there's no need to dress it with anything complicated.
I followed the philosophy that I began following recently, starting with my One-Pot Whole Wheat Pasta with Chicken & Spinach: Use just 8 ounces of whole wheat pasta and bulk up the dish with protein (chicken in this case) and plenty of veggies. The perfect balance.
If you make this salad ahead of time, make extra dressing and stir it in just before serving. The pasta has a tendency to soak up the dressing and you don't want to serve an underdressed salad.
Other healthy recipes for your next backyard barbecue:
Thai Chicken Salad
Couscous with Nectarines & Toasted Almonds
Chicken Pasta Salad Recipe with Green Beans, Tomatoes & Feta Cheese
Ingredients
- 8 ounces whole wheat pasta such as rotini or penne
- ¾ pound green beans trimmed & cut in half
- 8 ounces cherry or grape tomatoes cut in half
- 2 cups shredded chicken breast
- â…“ cup crumbled feta cheese
- 6 basil leaves thinly sliced
- 3 tablespoons minced flat-leaf parsley
The Dressing:
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons agave nectar or honey honey
- ¼ teaspoons salt
- ¼ teaspoons ground pepper
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Cook the pasta until al dente, according to package directions. Drain and rinse with cold water. Transfer to a serving bowl.
- While the pasta is cooking, prepare a medium bowl of ice water. Bring a medium saucepan of lightly salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the green beans and cook until tender crisp. Drain and immediately transfer to the bowl of ice water. Drain and transfer to the bowl with the pasta.
- Add the tomatoes, chicken, feta cheese, basil leaves and parsley to the pasta mixture. Stir to combine.
- Add the dressing and toss to combine. Serve.
The Dressing:
- In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, agave nectar (or honey), salt and pepper. While whisking, slowly pour in the olive oil.
Notes
Nutrition
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Michelle Goth
What a beautiful pasta salad! This just screams summer ad outdoor picnics to me, too!
Angie | Big Bear's Wife
I would totally love to dig into this pasta salad during a cook out of bbq! yum! I love he tomatoes and feta in this!
Michelle | A Latte Food
I love pasta salads! I would love to be eating it on the beach picnic-style! The perfect summer evening for sure! 🙂
Dee
I love how fresh and healthy this looks -- perfect for summer!
Jessica - The Novice Chef
That looks so incredibly fresh! Delish!
Kathleen
The recipe for Chicken Pasta Salad sounds and looks so good. I am definitely going to make this for when the family visits. Thank you. I don't know a family member that doesn't like chicken. What would you suggest that I serve with this dish?
Justine | Cooking and Beer
Loving the green beans in this pasta salad! So fun!