Zesty Italian Chicken Pasta Salad is a filling main dish made with chopped chicken breast, whole wheat rotini, mozzarella cheese, fresh vegetables, and pepperoncini peppers.
A creamy Italian dressing coats every bite with a mix of tangy lemon, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, and Italian seasoning.
Serve this cold pasta salad for lunch, summer dinners, picnics, or potlucks. It also makes six generous servings, which is helpful when you’re preparing lunches for several days.
The chicken and mozzarella add plenty of protein, while the tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper, onion, olives, and parsley add color and texture.
Use cooked chicken breast from an earlier meal to cut down on prep. Store-bought cooked chicken can also save time when your schedule is full.
Keep a container in the refrigerator for a ready-made lunch that doesn’t need much attention before serving.
Why You’ll Love This Zesty Italian Chicken Pasta Salad
High in Protein
Each serving has 37 grams of protein from chicken breast, Greek yogurt, mozzarella cheese, and whole wheat pasta. It makes a filling lunch or dinner without needing a separate main dish.
Made for Meal Prep
The salad needs time to chill, so preparing it ahead makes sense. Divide it into covered containers for lunches during the week.
Plenty of Vegetables
Cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red bell pepper, red onion, pepperoncini, olives, and parsley add texture and variety throughout the salad.
Creamy and Tangy Dressing
Greek yogurt softens the sharp taste of the Italian dressing, vinegar, lemon juice, and mustard. The result is creamy without using a mayonnaise-heavy dressing.
Useful for Summer Meals
Serve it cold at picnics, cookouts, potlucks, or outdoor lunches. Since it can be prepared ahead, there’s less work when it’s time to serve.
Ingredient Substitutions
Rotini Pasta
Use another short pasta shape, such as bow ties, penne, shells, or elbow macaroni. Regular, chickpea, or lentil pasta may also be used. Check the package directions because cooking times vary.
Chicken Breast
Use cooked chicken thighs, turkey breast, or rotisserie chicken. Remove the skin before chopping rotisserie chicken if you want a leaner salad.
Cherry Tomatoes
Replace cherry tomatoes with grape tomatoes or chopped Roma tomatoes. Drain chopped tomatoes if they release a lot of liquid.
Cucumber
Use an English cucumber or mini cucumbers. Zucchini can also be used raw for a similar crunch.
Red Bell Pepper
Use yellow, orange, or green bell pepper. Roasted red peppers may be used after draining and chopping them well.
Red Onion
Replace red onion with green onions, shallots, or a small amount of sweet onion.
Pepperoncini Peppers
Use mild banana peppers for a similar tangy taste. Chopped pickled jalapeños can be used when you want more heat.
Black Olives
Use green olives or sliced Kalamata olives. Keep in mind that Kalamata olives have a stronger taste.
Mozzarella Cheese
Use provolone, reduced-fat feta, Parmesan, or mild cheddar cheese. Cut block cheese into small pieces so it mixes evenly through the salad.
Greek Yogurt
Use plain low-fat yogurt or additional light Italian dressing. Sour cream can also be used, though it will give the dressing a richer taste.
Light Italian Dressing
Use regular Italian dressing or a homemade vinaigrette. Taste the finished dressing before adding more salt because bottled dressings vary in sodium.
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Zesty Italian Chicken Pasta Salad
Recipes are written with one action per step for accessibility. Short lines. Fewer rereads. A calmer kitchen on mobile or desktop.
Ingredients
- 8 ounces whole wheat rotini pasta
- 3 cups cooked chicken breast chopped
- 1½ cups cherry tomatoes halved
- 1 cup cucumbers chopped
- ¾ cup red bell pepper chopped
- ½ cup red onion finely chopped
- ½ cup pepperoncini peppers chopped
- ¼ cup sliced black olives
- 3 ounces part-skim mozzarella cheese diced
- 2 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
For the Zesty Italian Dressing:
- ½ cup light Italian dressing
- ⅓ cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasonings
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Fill a large pot with water. Bring the water to a boil.
- Cook the pasta according to the package directions.
- Drain the pasta in a colander. Rinse the pasta under cold water. Drain the pasta well.
- Add the cooled pasta to a large mixing bowl.
- Add the chicken, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red bell pepper, red onion, pepperoncini peppers, black olives, mozzarella cheese, and parsley.
- In a small mixing bowl, add the Italian dressing, Greek yogurt, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, onion powder, black pepper, and salt. Using a wire whisk, mix until smooth.
- Pour the dressing over the pasta salad. Toss until the pasta, chicken, vegetables, and cheese are coated.
- Cover the bowl. Chill the pasta salad in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
- Stir before serving.
Notes
Tips and Tricks
Taste before salting – The dressing, olives, pepperoncini, and cheese already add salt.Storing
Refrigerate – Store in a covered container for up to 3 days. Stir before serving – Mix well before serving because the dressing may settle.Nutrition
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