The Best Creamy Chicken Pasta Salad
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My BEST Creamy Chicken Pasta Salad features smoky grilled chicken, whole grain pasta, fresh celery, and a creamy homemade dressing. Whether for lunch, a picnic, or a potluck, this dish is a flavorful and filling choice.
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I’ve made a lot of pasta salads in my time, but this creamy chicken version is by far one of the best! The grilled chicken adds so much flavor, and the creamy dressing is the perfect finishing touch.
Whether I’m making it for a picnic, potluck, or just because, it’s always a hit!
Why I love this recipe
I first came across this pasta salad in a work lunch group, and it was a hit right away. I had to make it my own by grilling the chicken, swapping in whole grain pasta, and adding a little lemon and garlic to the dressing for extra zing. It’s creamy, satisfying, and only gets better the longer it sits. I love how simple it is to make ahead, so it’s my go-to for gatherings and potlucks.
Ingredients
Here’s everything you’ll need to make this creamy chicken pasta salad. Gather the ingredients listed below for a delicious and satisfying dish:
For the salad:
- rotini pasta
- grilled chicken
- celery
For the dressing:
- mayonnaise
- sour cream
- milk
- ranch dressing/dip seasoning mix
- dried dill
- garlic
- lemon juice
- salt & pepper
Step by step
- In a mason jar or bowl, mix all dressing ingredients together and refrigerate for at least three hours, preferably overnight, to develop the flavors.
- In a large bowl, combine the cooked pasta, grilled chicken, and diced celery.
- Pour the prepared dressing over the salad and toss everything together until well-coated.
- Garnish with fresh dill or parsley if desired, and enjoy!
Tips for Best Results
- Chill the dressing for a few hours or overnight to enhance the flavors.
- Cool the pasta completely to prevent it from absorbing too much dressing and becoming mushy.
- Use high-quality ingredients like fresh lemon juice and grilled chicken, which add incredible depth of flavor.
- Cook the pasta to al dente—firm, slightly chewy pasta holds up best in the salad.
- Adjust seasoning to taste; a little extra salt, pepper, or dill can make a big difference!
Variations
I love how easy it is to change this recipe based on what’s in my kitchen. If I’m out of grilled chicken, I just grab some canned or rotisserie chicken or even tuna for a fun twist!
If you enjoy a bit of sharpness, add chopped green onions back into the mix. For extra texture, toss in cheese cubes or toasted almonds. While whole-grain rotini works great, any pasta shape, such as penne or bowtie, can be used.
If you love this recipe, you should try Amish Pasta Salad for your next meal!
Serving suggestion
This creamy chicken pasta salad is one of my go-to dishes for brunches, lunches, and picnics. It pairs well with calico beans and the secret ingredient chicken salad. If I’m packing it for an on-the-go meal, mason jars make it super convenient.
Storage
Keep leftover pasta salad in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days. The dressing does thicken as it sits, so stir before serving.
I do not recommend freezing since the texture changes once thawed.
If the pasta soaks up too much of the dressing, you can always add a splash of mayonnaise to bring it back to life.
If you try this recipe please comment and rate it below, I love hearing from you!
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The Best Creamy Chicken Pasta Salad
- Total Time: 3 hours 10 minutes
- Yield: 8 1x
Description
My best Creamy Chicken Pasta Salad features smoky grilled chicken, whole grain pasta, fresh celery, and a creamy homemade dressing. Whether for lunch, a picnic, or a potluck, this dish is a flavorful and filling choice.
Ingredients
For the Salad:
- 1 (16 oz.) box of whole grain rotini pasta, cooked, drained and cooled
- 2 lbs. grilled chicken, chopped into bite-sized pieces
- 1 cup diced celery
For the Dressing:
- 1 1/2 cups mayonnaise
- 1 1/2 cups sour cream
- 1/2 cup milk
- One packet of ranch dressing/dip seasoning mix
- 2 tablespoons dried dill
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic, smashed into a paste, or 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
- salt & pepper, to taste
Instructions
- In a mason jar or bowl, mix all dressing ingredients together and refrigerate for at least three hours, preferably overnight, to develop the flavors.
- In a large bowl, combine the cooked pasta, grilled chicken, and diced celery.
- Pour the prepared dressing over the salad and toss everything together until well coated.
- Garnish with fresh dill or parsley if desired, and enjoy!
Notes
- Be sure to refrigerate any leftovers. If the pasta soaks up too much of the dressing, you can always add a splash more mayonnaise to bring it back to life.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Chilling Time: 3 hours
- Category: Side Dish, Main Course
- Method: None
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 588
- Sugar: 3.1 g
- Sodium: 653.2 mg
- Fat: 24.3 g
- Carbohydrates: 48.8 g
- Protein: 39.4 g
- Cholesterol: 98.1 mg
Sure looks and sounds delicious Keri. Sure glad you shared this recipe. How nice about your lunch club, sounds like fun and makes friends. Printing this recipe/side how-to’s as I type. Would be such a good meal for many occasions. Like that you grilled the chicken, give it better flavor. Love easy salad recipes to make ahead, take with.
Happy Easter
Could sure use your HR expertise here in Grand Junction. The things employers do to employees here is downright criminal, have been victim myself. They claim not to know rules, bull. They hope we don’t know rules.
I made this Chicken Salad for my out of town family for lunch. They were all coming to my house straight from the airport around lunchtime before leaving for a family celebration. I made a vegetable garden salad to go with it. Three weeks later two of my sisters contacted me to ask for the recipe. They each said it was delicious and they wanted to make it for their families. Yesterday I asked my son if he liked it. He said it was yes it was delicious and was wondering when I was going to make it again! I was so excited everyone enjoyed it. It will be a family favorite!
Hi Linda – I love hearing that your family enjoyed this creamy chicken pasta salad! Thanks so much for stopping by to let me know!!
This dish is fantastic! I make it all the time and every time I do I have people asking me for the recipe! so so good, making it again this weekend!
so glad you enjoyed it!
Looks good. I can’t wait to try this recipe.