This Chicken, Sun-Dried Tomato, and Creamy Balsamic Pasta Salad is the perfect blend of creaminess, umami, and freshness. With tender pasta, zesty sun-dried tomatoes, crunchy pine nuts, delicious chicken, and the creamy balsamic dressing, this is a full meal in one bite.

I am on a massive pasta salad kick at the moment and can’t get enough of pasta salads that I can keep in the fridge in a few days for easy meals. This one is absolutely delicious and has been a huge hit with my whole family. I love the combination of salty, creamy and bold flavors and the balsamic dressing really pulls it all together. I’ve served this to friends and everyone has gone crazy for it and asked for the recipe which is when I knew it was worthy of a spot on the blog. It’s also easily adaptable, use a gluten or grain free pasta and skip the bocconcini to make it Paleo.

Why You Will Love This Chicken, Sun-Dried Tomato and Creamy Balsamic Pasta Salad

  • The creamy balsamic dressing gives a sweet-savory punch in every bite. It’s a unique flavor that’s both comforting and vibrant.
  • It’s fresh and hearty, and simple ingredients are deeply satisfying for a light dinner or a quick lunch.
  • With its wonderful mix of ingredients, it’s as visually appealing as it is delicious—always a crowd-pleaser at the table.
  • This is the perfect recipe when you need to meal prep for the week.
  • Modify this to make it just right for any dietary restrictions you may have.

Ingredients You Will Need

  • Fusilli Pasta: Any short-cut pasta will work, but Fusilli is my favorite.
  • Red onion: A bright and zingy onion that I love in a pasta salad. A large shallot will also work.
  • Sun-Dried Tomatoes: Sun-dried tomatoes are an intensely flavored tomato and have a concentrated, sweet-tart taste. See below for some lighter tomato suggestions.
  • Pine Nuts: The crunch of pine nuts is perfection in this salad. I have some nut alternative suggestions below.
  • Chicken: I love to use leftover chicken breast for this recipe. Rotisserie chicken is also an excellent option.
  • Fresh Spinach: Spinach brings a mild, slightly earthy flavor and a tender texture, especially when you use baby spinach.
  • Bocconcini: Bocconcini is fresh mozzarella that comes to you in the form of little mozzarella pearls. Truly delicious!
  • Mayonnaise: Make your own mayo or use store-bought. You can also use Greek yogurt.
  • Fresh Garlic: Be sure to finely mince with a sharp knife or use a garlic press for full garlicky flavor.
  • Extra Virgin Olive Oil: A neutral oil is what you are going for. You can also use avocado oil.
  • Balsamic Vinegar: The star of the dressing! Be sure to pick one without added sugar.
  • Spices: Salt and black pepper are all you need to bring it all together.

Kitchen Tools You Will Need:

  • Large Pot
  • Colander
  • Small Bowl
  • Whisk
  • Large Bowl
  • Wooden Spoon

How to Make This Pasta Salad

  • Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to the package instructions until al dente. Then rinse in a colander with cold water.
  • While the pasta cooks, make the dressing. In a bowl, whisk together the dressing ingredients.
  • Add the cooked pasta to a large salad bowl with the red onion, sun dried tomatoes, pine nuts, chicken, spinach, and bocconcini.
  • Pour the dressing over top and toss. Add a drizzle of balsamic glaze if desired, or some fresh basil.

How to Modify:

  • Use any short pasta, like bowtie pasta, rotini pasta, or penne pasta.
  • Try using fresh tomatoes like cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes.
  • You can use other nuts like chopped walnuts, pistachios, or almonds.
  • If you can’t find bocconcini, try goat cheese, feta cheese or parmesan cheese
  • Add more fresh veggies like bell peppers, zucchini, or cucumbers. Also, black olives, kalamata olives or artichoke hearts would be a great addition
  • Swap the chicken for chopped salami, prosciutto or ham
  • Make this homemade mayo, or use Greek yogurt or plain yogurt.

Dietary Restrictions:

  • To make this dairy-free, simply omit the bocconicini.
  • Leave out the nuts if you have a nut allergy.
  • You can also omit the garlic if your diet doesn’t allow for it.
  • Make this vegan and omit the chicken, use vegan mayo, or use Greek yogurt.
  • If you want gluten-free pasta, you know what to do (Jovial is particularly amazing) or use your favorite chickpea pasta

Prepping Ahead

If you want to prep this a day or two in advance, you can cook the pasta, chop all the ingredients, mix the salad dressing, and store them in separate containers. Mix everything when you’re ready to serve and enjoy!

How To Store Leftovers

Store any leftovers in an airtight container or covered with plastic wrap in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Give it a good stir before serving, or add a bit more mayo or olive oil to make it creamy again.

Serving Suggestions:

Try this creamy balsamic pasta salad recipe alongside some delicious Greek Chicken Skewers or Miso Pork Tenderloin Skewers.

If you need a delicious burger recipe, try this Turkey Burger Recipe or my Top 10 Burger Recipes.

For a lighter meal, try it with a slice of crusted bread and a light drink like these Lillet Spritz, Limoncello Spritz or Hugo Spritz

Pro Tip:

Reserve half of the dressing if you are prepping this salad in advance so you can bring it back to its creaminess right before serving.


If you make this Creamy Balsamic Pasta Salad let me know in the comment section below, I would love to hear what you think or take a photo and tag me (@everylastbite_) on Instagram, I love seeing your photos!

Chicken, Sun-dried Tomato & Creamy Balsamic Pasta Salad

Every Last Bite
This Pasta Salad is packed with chicken, sun-dried tomatoes, spinach, bocconcini, red onion and pine nuts all tossed in a delicious creamy balsamic dressing. It's a great make ahead salad that takes less than 15 minutes to make.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Diets Gluten Free
Servings 6

Ingredients
  

  • 8 oz fusilli pasta or gluten or grain free pasta of choice
  • 2 tsp salt
  • cup thinly sliced red onion
  • ½ cup roughly chopped oil packed sun dried tomatoes
  • cup toasted pine nuts
  • 2 cups chopped cooked chicken
  • 2 cups roughly chopped fresh spinach
  • 1 cup halved bocconcini

Creamy Balsamic Dressing

Instructions
 

  • Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add in the fusilli and cook according to the package instructions. Once tender, drain in a colander and run under cold water.
  • While the pasta is cooking, make the dressing. In a bowl whisk together the dressing ingredients. Taste and adjust ingredients as desired.
  • Add the cooked pasta to a large salad bowl. Add in the red onion, sundried tomatoes, pine nuts, chicken, spinach and bocconini.
  • Pour the dressing over the salad and toss.
Tried this recipe?Leave a comment below and let us know how it was!