This creamy chicken pasta salad is fresh, flavor-packed, brightened with lemon, and not overly heavy. It’s perfect for BBQs, meal prep, or an easy chicken and pasta cold salad.
Jump to: ℹ️ Overview | 🛒 Ingredients | 📷 How To Make | 📹 Watch The Video | 👩🍳 Recipe Tips | 🥗 Serving Suggestions | 📝Full Recipe Card | 🍽 More Chicken Recipes
At A Glance:
- ⏱ Ready In: 30 minutes (+ chilling)
- 🍽 Serves: 6–8 (4 as a main)
- 🌱 Diet: High-protein, can be gluten-free (with GF pasta)
- 💪 Nutrition Highlights: High in protein, balanced fats, veggie-packed
- 🥕 Main Ingredients: Chicken, pasta, Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, fresh vegetables
- 🔥 Flavor Profile: Creamy, tangy, fresh, slightly zesty, fresh crunch from veggies
- 🧊 Meal-Prep Friendly: Keeps 3–4 days in the fridge, flavor improves over time
- Best Served With: BBQ mains, grilled meats, or as a make-ahead lunch, great for potlucks.
This chicken pasta salad is one of my lunchtime heroes, and it also quietly steals the show at BBQs. It’s creamy, yes, but not heavy. I lighten the dressing with Greek yogurt and fresh lemon so it tastes bright and balanced instead of thick and gloopy.
The tri-colour fusilli catches all that creamy Dijon dressing in its little spirals, and the rotisserie or shredded chicken makes this weeknight easy. Crunchy celery, cucumber, red onion, and red bell pepper keep every bite fresh, while pickles add that subtle tangy-sweet pop that makes you go back for seconds.
It’s high in protein thanks to the chicken and yogurt, packed with fibre from the veggies, and perfect for making ahead. The flavor actually improves once it chills — just remember to re-season before serving (cold food needs a little extra love).
This one sits right between classic comfort and fresh modern salad. Familiar enough for everyone to love, but layered enough to taste intentional.
👩🍳 You might also like these pasta salads:
🌿 Mediterranean Pasta Salad
🥓 Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad
💪 High-Protein Pasta Salad
🐟 Tuna And Pasta Salad
🌽 Elote Pasta Salad
🍝 Cold Spaghetti Pasta Salad
👉 More Pasta Salads
What You’ll Need
Here is what you’ll need for this shredded chicken pasta salad recipe. Find the full measurements in the recipe card below.
- Tri-colour fusilli pasta – Holds dressing beautifully and adds visual appeal.
- Rotisserie chicken (shredded) – Saves time and boosts protein. You can cook your own if preferred, check out my slow cooker shredded chicken here.
- Cherry tomatoes – Natural sweetness and juiciness.
- Cucumber – Fresh crunch and hydration.
- Red onion – Sharpness (soak briefly to mellow).
- Celery – Classic creamy-salad crunch.
- Red bell pepper – Sweetness and color.
- Pickles (finely chopped) – Tangy-sweet bite that balances the creaminess.
Creamy Dressing
- Mayonnaise – Creamy base.
- Parmesan cheese – Salty, nutty depth.
- Greek yogurt – Lightens the dressing and adds protein.
- Dijon mustard – Gentle heat and complexity.
- Lemon juice + zest – Brightness.
- Red wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar – Extra acidity.
- Garlic (grated) – Subtle sharpness.
- Salt & black pepper – Essential seasoning.
- Water – Loosens dressing without extra oil.
How To Make Chicken Pasta Salad
Find the full recipe and nutritional information below. Here are some handy step-by-step photos for how to make this pasta salad.
- Cook pasta in well-salted water until al dente. Drain and cool completely.
- Soak sliced red onion in cold water for 10 minutes, then drain.
- In a bowl, whisk together mayo, Greek yogurt, Parmesan, Dijon, lemon juice, zest, vinegar, garlic, salt, pepper, and a little water until smooth.
- Toss cooled pasta with shredded chicken, vegetables, and pickles.
- Fold through dressing. Chill for at least 30 minutes.
- Taste and adjust salt and lemon before serving.
Watch The Video
Recipe Tips
- Salt your pasta water properly. This is your only chance to season the pasta itself.
- Re-season after chilling. Cold dulls flavor — add a pinch of salt or squeeze of lemon before serving.
- Shred, don’t cube, the chicken for better dressing cling.
- Make ahead: Best made 2–24 hours ahead. Store covered in the fridge.
- Storage: Keeps well for 3–4 days refrigerated. Stir before serving.
- Want more crunch? Add toasted almonds right before serving.
- Variation ideas: Add crispy bacon. Stir in chopped parsley or fresh herbs. Swap pickles for capers. Turn it into a pesto chicken pasta salad (save that for its own post 😉).
Serving Suggestions
Serve this chicken pasta salad cold or slightly chilled. It’s perfect alongside grilled a green salad, corn on the cob, or as part of a summer spread. It also works beautifully packed for lunches — just keep it chilled.
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Video
Ingredients
Pasta & Salad Base
- 10 oz tri-color fusilli pasta 300 grams
- 2.5 cups shredded rotisserie chicken about 10.5 oz / 300 grams
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved 150 grams
- 1 cup diced cucumber, 1 Lebanese 130 grams
- ½ cup finely diced celery, 1 rib 60 grams
- ½ cup diced red bell pepper, ½ red pepper 75 grams
- ¼ cup finely sliced red onion, ¼ onion 40 grams
- ⅓ cup finely chopped pickles 40 grams
Creamy Dressing
- ⅓ cup + 2 tablespoons mayonnaise 100 grams
- ⅓ cup + 1 tablespoon plain Greek yogurt 95 grams
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard 10 ml
- ¼ cup finely grated Parmesan cheese 15 grams
- 1 tablespoon pickle juice
- 1 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 15 ml
- ½ teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar 15 ml
- 1 small garlic clove finely grated
- ½ teaspoon salt or to taste
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1–2 tablespoons water 15–30 ml, to loosen
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt generously. Cook pasta until al dente according to package instructions. Drain and rinse briefly with cool water. Let cool completely.
- If needed, soak sliced red onion in cold water for 10 minutes, then drain.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, Dijon mustard, Parmesan, lemon juice, zest, vinegar, garlic, salt and pepper. Add water a tablespoon at a time until the dressing is creamy but pourable.
- In a large bowl, combine cooled pasta, shredded chicken, tomatoes, cucumber, celery, red bell pepper, chopped pickles and red onion.
- Pour dressing over the salad and toss until evenly coated.
- Chill for at least 30 minutes before serving.
- Taste and adjust seasoning with extra salt or lemon juice if needed.
Notes
- Salt your pasta water properly. This is your only chance to season the pasta itself.
- Re-season after chilling. Cold dulls flavor — add a pinch of salt or squeeze of lemon before serving.
- Shred, don’t cube, the chicken for better dressing cling.
- Make ahead: Best made 2–24 hours ahead. Store covered in the fridge.
- Storage: Keeps well for 3–4 days refrigerated. Stir before serving.
- Want more crunch? Add toasted almonds right before serving.
- Variation ideas: Add crispy bacon. Stir in chopped parsley or fresh herbs. Swap pickles for capers. Turn it into a pesto chicken pasta salad (save that for its own post 😉).
- Can I cook my own chicken? Yes. Season chicken breasts with salt, pepper, and paprika. Bake at 400°F (200°C) for 18–22 minutes until cooked through, then shred.
- Can I make this ahead? Absolutely. It tastes even better after a few hours in the fridge. Just re-season before serving.
- Can I use a different pasta? Yes — bowtie, penne, or rotini work well. Choose a shape that holds dressing.
- Is this gluten-free? Use gluten-free pasta and check labels on mustard and pickles.
Great salad, not too heavy with a good amount of tang. Some of the other pasta salads are too creamy, kind of lose the whole ‘salad’ vibe but this one is fresh, felt healthyier.