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Green Goddess Pasta Salad with Chicken
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5 from 2 votes

Green Goddess Pasta Salad with Chicken

Refreshing, creamy, and herby Green Goddess pasta salad that's a perfect side dish for a summer BBQ or picnic! This tangy dish is hearty, has a gorgeous vibrant green color from the creamy avocado and fresh herbs, and is packed with tender pasta, fresh veggies, and chicken.
Prep Time13 minutes
Cook Time7 minutes
Total Time20 minutes
Course: Main Course, Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 415kcal

Ingredients

Green Goddess Dressing

  • 1/2 avocado ripe
  • 1/4 cup mayonnaise
  • 1/2 cup fresh basil packed
  • 1/4 cup parsley
  • 2 green onions cut into 2 inch pieces
  • Juice from 1 lemon
  • 1 garlic clove
  • 1 anchovy fillet
  • 1/4 tsp sea salt
  • 1/8 tsp ground black pepper
  • Water as needed

Pasta Salad

  • 8 oz short pasta like fusilli, rotini, rigatoni, or macaroni (use gluten free or paleo pasta if you want)
  • 1½ cup cooked chicken chopped, or 1 cup chickpeas
  • 1/2 cup chopped cucumbers
  • 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes halved
  • 1/2 cup artichoke hearts canned or marinated, roughly chopped
  • 1/2 cup kalamata olives pitted and chopped
  • 1 cup arugula

Instructions

  • Combine all ingredients except water for the Green Goddess dressing in a blender. Blend until smooth. If the mixture is too thick, add a little bit of water at a time to thin it to your liking. Set aside.
  • Cook pasta al dente according to package instructions. Drain, and do not rinse.
  • Chop up the rest of the ingredients for the pasta salad and add to a large mixing bowl. Add the warm pasta.
  • Pour 1/2 cup of the dressing to the salad (store the rest in the fridge for up to a week), and toss gently to combine. Add more salt or dressing, if needed.
  • Serve right away at room temperature, or chill before serving.

Video

Notes

Expert Tips

    • Vegan pasta salad: To make this vegan, omit the anchovies, and use vegan mayo. You can also replace the chicken with chickpeas or white beans for an alternative protein.
    • Variations: This chicken pasta salad is so versatile with how you can change up the ingredients. You can use almost any veggies you have on hand like asparagus, spinach, baby arugula, cabbage, bell peppers, green beans, broccoli florets, chives, sugar snap peas, or radishes.

Storage Tips

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days. Give it a good stir before serving. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving - makes 4 | Calories: 415kcal | Carbohydrates: 48g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 43mg | Sodium: 674mg | Potassium: 425mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 600IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 51mg | Iron: 2mg