Make this Rotisserie Chicken Pasta Salad for a quick and easy weeknight dinner. Enjoy hot or cold, and leftovers pack well for lunch.
Rotisserie Chicken Pasta Salad is Easy, Quick and Delicious
There's always an occasion for Rotisserie Chicken Pasta Salad. I love making this dish because it is so convenient and it never goes wrong.
It's a quick lunch, a 15 minute weeknight dinner, and it packs well. We also take it to eat in the car when the kids have sport practices. Even more, we bring it on picnics, and have also enjoyed it as a camping dinner. When I sign up for meal trains, this Rotisserie Chicken Pasta Salad is always a hit too.
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Rotisserie Chicken Pasta Salad Ingredients
- Chopped rotisserie chicken
- Cooked pasta
- Tomatoes
- Mozzarella cheese
- Baby spinach, baby power greens mix, or baby salad mix
- Olive oil
- Lemon
- Salt
- Pepper
The full ingredients and quantities are in the complete recipe below. Before you get there, I'll share a few helpful tips about the ingredients.
Portion Up the Rotisserie Chicken
This pasta salad doesn't require the entire rotisserie chicken. It's a perfect recipe if you have leftover rotisserie chicken to use up.
Alternatively, whenever I buy a rotisserie chicken, I immediately debone and portion it out for several meals. I use part of it for this pasta salad. Other portions I save for Rotisserie Chicken Fried Rice, breakfast enchiladas, and more.
One cup of chopped rotisserie chicken in this recipe is enough for our family. It's equivalent to about one Costco-sized rotisserie chicken breast. Feel free to add more chicken if you want more though.
Perfect for After a Costco Shop
We like this meal after a Costco shop because we can buy all the ingredients there. We buy the Costco rotisserie chicken, the pasta, the mini mozzarella snacking balls, the tomato ensemble medley box, the bag of power greens, and the olive oil. We always have the lemon, salt and pepper at home already.
I make this pasta salad immediately after I debone and portion the rotisserie chicken for other meals.
All the ingredients in this recipe are easy to find in any supermarket though. So you don't need a Costco trip to make this. I wanted to point it out in case you are meal planning before you shop.
Use Baby Leaves or Other Greens
In the photo, and most frequently, I make this pasta salad with baby spinach. I prefer a darker leafy green that is softer in texture, without a big crunch. The kids also eat the spinach without complaints.
However, feel free to swap out the baby spinach with another type of green. Other baby greens, such as baby chard and baby kale work well too. Or try young arugula if you like it.
I have made this pasta salad with finely sliced romaine lettuce before too. It adds a crunch and a more leafy salad taste. It works though! I think I just needed to salt it a bit more.
How To Make Rotisserie Chicken Pasta Salad
The full recipe and directions are below. However, here's a quick summary:
- Cook the pasta.
- In the meantime, chop the chicken, mini mozzarella balls, and tomatoes.
- When the pasta is done, drain. Then toss everything (except the chicken) together.
- Adjust oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper, to taste.
- Toss in the chicken last. It should already be flavored so doesn't need the extra salt and pepper on it.
As you can see, making Rotisserie Chicken Pasta Salad is a very quick one bowl meal that you can get on the table in about 15 minutes. It's a winning recipe to keep in the meal rotation.
Can You Add Cold Chicken to Hot Pasta?
Yep, you can add cold chicken to hot pasta. This is one of the ways we do it. I love making this quick pasta salad with leftover cold rotisserie chicken.
On the day we want to eat this recipe, I'll simply cook the pasta, and toss in all the other ingredients cold, including the chicken.
Hot pasta with cold chicken will bring the entire dish to room temperature. It is a perfectly delicious way to enjoy this rotisserie chicken pasta salad.
How Long Does Chicken Pasta Salad Last?
This chicken pasta salad can last a few days in the refrigerator, if stored properly. Store leftovers in an airtight container.
When it's time to eat leftovers, you can enjoy it cold directly from the fridge. That's how I'm eating it now as I type this recipe.
Sometimes I'll heat it briefly in the microwave to get it to room temp. However, I don't fully reheat it because the tomatoes taste better cold/room temp, and I don't want the mozzarella balls to melt.
More Quick Family Dinner Ideas
Love this quick family meal idea? Here are a few of our other favorites:
Do you have a favorite last minute family meal? Please share below. I'd love to add more to our rotation.
Rotisserie Chicken Pasta Salad
Equipment
- 1 medium pot
Ingredients
- 3 cups pasta (penne, fusilli, macaroni all work well)
- 1 cup chopped rotisserie chicken - about 1 chicken breast
- 1 cup plum tomatoes (or equivalent)
- 1 cup mini mozzarella balls (also called pearls, snacking mozzarella)
- 1 cup packed baby spinach leaves - washed and dried
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1-2 slices lemon
- salt and pepper - to taste
- balsamic vinegar - if desired
Instructions
- Cook the pasta according to the instructions. Drain when done.
- As the pasta cooks, prepare the other ingredients. Cut the plum tomatoes in half. Cut the mini mozzarella balls in half. Wash and dry the baby spinach, if necessary.
- Once the pasta is done, gently toss the pasta, tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, baby spinach, and extra virgin olive oil all together. Squeeze on the lemon slice(s). Salt and pepper to taste. Drizzle on balsamic vinegar, if desired. Lastly, gently toss in the rotisserie chicken. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
Ally says
Such a good way to use up some leftover rotisserie chicken!