Chickpea Pasta Salad with Chicken and Feta
This chickpea pasta salad is one of my favorite make-ahead lunches, and somehow it tastes even better after a few hours in the fridge. Tender pasta, chickpeas, shredded chicken, spinach, cucumber, feta, and fresh basil get tossed in a tangy homemade vinaigrette built on the oil from the sun-dried tomato jar. It comes together in about 30 minutes and it travels well, so it's just as good for a weekday lunch as it is for a picnic or potluck.
Servings: 8 servings
Ingredients
- 12 oz fusilli or bowtie pasta
- 1 15-oz can of chickpeas drained and rinsed
- 4 cups cooked shredded chicken I used rotisserie chicken
- 7-8 oz jar of sun dried tomato strips packed in oil save oil for dressing
- 2 cups baby spinach
- 1 cup diced cucumber
- ½ medium red onion diced
- ¾ cup crumbled feta cheese
- ¼ cup fresh basil thinly sliced
Dressing
- ¼ cup oil from sun dried tomatoes sub with olive oil if there’s not enough oil
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- ¼ cup red wine vinegar
- 2 tsp dijon mustard
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp sea salt
- ¾ tsp oregano
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
Instructions
- Whisk together all ingredients for the dressing and set aside.¼ cup oil from sun dried tomatoes, 2 tbsp olive oil, ¼ cup red wine vinegar, 2 tsp dijon mustard, 2 garlic cloves, 1 tsp sugar, ¾ tsp oregano, 1 tsp sea salt, ½ tsp ground black pepper
- Cook pasta according to package instructions in salted water. Drain and place in a large bowl. Add the rest of the salad ingredients to the pasta.12 oz fusilli or bowtie pasta, 1 15-oz can of chickpeas, 4 cups cooked shredded chicken, 7-8 oz jar of sun dried tomato strips packed in oil, 2 cups baby spinach, 1 cup diced cucumber, ½ medium red onion, ¾ cup crumbled feta cheese, ¼ cup fresh basil
- Pour the dressing on top of everything and toss to coat evenly.
- Taste to add more salt or pepper, if needed. You can also add some crushed red pepper flakes for some spice, if you want. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving.
Video
Notes
- Cook the pasta just to al dente. It keeps absorbing dressing as it sits, so firm pasta holds its texture far better than overcooked pasta.
- Rinse with cold water. This cools the pasta quickly and stops the cooking, so you can build the salad right away.
- Don't skip the sun-dried tomato oil. It's the secret to a dressing packed with flavor without a long ingredient list.
- Give it time if you can. I think this tastes best after about 30 minutes in the fridge, once the dressing has soaked into the pasta.
- Toss before serving. If the pasta has drunk up some dressing after sitting, a quick toss brings everything back together. A splash of olive oil helps too.
- Fridge: Store in an airtight container for 4 to 5 days.
- Make ahead: Make it at least 30 minutes before serving, or up to a day in advance.
- Before serving: If it seems a little dry after a couple of days, drizzle in a little olive oil and toss.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving - makes 8 | Calories: 392kcal | Carbohydrates: 33g | Protein: 32g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 65mg | Sodium: 636mg | Potassium: 646mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 1167IU | Vitamin C: 29mg | Calcium: 138mg | Iron: 6mg