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
- 3 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
- ½ 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
- 1 tsp dijon mustard
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 tsp sugar
- ¾ tsp oregano
- ¾ tsp sea salt
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
Instructions
- Whisk together all ingredients for the dressing and set aside.
- 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, 3 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, ½ cup crumbled feta cheese, ¼ cup fresh basil
- Pour the dressing on top of everything and toss to coat evenly.¼ cup oil from sun dried tomatoes, 2 tbsp olive oil, ¼ cup red wine vinegar, 1 tsp dijon mustard, 2 garlic cloves, 1 tsp sugar, ¾ tsp oregano, ¾ tsp sea salt, ½ tsp ground black pepper
- Taste to add more salt or pepper, if needed. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving.
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: 350kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 48mg | Sodium: 490mg | Potassium: 602mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 1139IU | Vitamin C: 29mg | Calcium: 113mg | Iron: 6mg