Jump to recipe
This delectably sweet balsamic chicken salad is balanced enough to eat as a meal on it’s own. Adjust the pasta amount to meet your need; low-carb and vegan options in notes.
I appreciate recipes that have a lot of flexibility to adjust ingredients/macros, and this balsamic chicken pasta salad fits the bill!
– Increase, decrease, or eliminate the pasta to adjust the carbohydrate content.
– Swap out the chicken and feta for tofu and nutritional yeast for a vegan option and use plain plant yogurt for the dressing.
If you decide to add the pasta, I recommend whole grain pasta. It has a slightly sweeter taste and pairs well with the rest of the flavors. In my first attempt at this recipe, I used chickpea pasta which has an unfortunate texture and taste that detracts from the rest of the flavors. Any pasta shape will work – recommend rotelle, bowties or shells for their dressing capture capabilities.
Don’t feel like cooking? The creamy balsamic dressing itself would work great for a regular salad or as a dip for veggies!
Balsamic Chicken Pasta Salad
Ingredients
For the base:
- 1.5 lb. / 24 oz. chicken breast, cut into small bite-sized pieces
- 12 oz. / 336 g whole grain pasta
- 1 tbsp. olive oil
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, chopped
- ½ large red onion, chopped
- 1 cup broccoli florets
- 1 tbsp. garlic powder
- 2 tbsp. Italian seasoning
- 8 oz. fat-free feta cheese
- 2 tsp. red chili flakes (optional)
- .
For the Dressing
- 100 g nonfat plain Greek yogurt (I used Fage 0%)
- 4 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
- 1 tbsp. olive oil
Instructions
- Start a pot of water for the pasta.
- Add 1 tbsp. olive oil to a large skillet and turn to medium. heat. Add chopped onion and cook until fragrant and slightly softened. Remove from pan and set aside.
- Add chicken breast pieces to the skillet.
- Season chicken with garlic powder, Italian seasoning, and chili flakes. Cook the chicken until browned.
- Transfer chicken pieces to an extra-large bowl and cover with aluminum foil. Leave any remaining liquid behind in the pan.
- While your chicken rests, cook the pasta al dente. Immediately strain and run cold water over the pasta. Set the pasta aside.
- Now that the chicken has rested, transfer any liquid from the bowl of cooked chicken and add it back to the skillet.
- Add the broccoli to the skillet and cover – cook for 3-4 minutes until blanched.
- Add onions, broccoli, pasta, and chopped tomato to the bowl with the chicken.
- Make the dressing: in a small bowl, mix the yogurt, 1 tbsp. olive oil, and balsamic.
- Pour dressing into the chicken bowl and mix until uniform.
- Top with fat-free feta before serving.
Notes
- Nutrition info for ENTIRE batch (with pasta) = 2,716 Cal, 266 g Protein, 311 g Carbs, 55 g Fat
- Nutrition per serving (8 servings) = 340 Cal, 33 g Protein, 39 g Carbs, 7 g Fat
- Nutrition info for ENTIRE batch (no pasta) = 1,623 Cal, 217 g Protein, 74 g Carbs, 46 g Fat
- Nutrition info per serving (8 servings) = 206 Cal, 27 g Protein, 9 g Carbs, 6 g Fat
- Vegan option – after cooking the onion, spray the skillet with cooking spray and lightly brown extra firm tofu cubes with the noted seasonings. Use water or vegetable stock to blanch the broccoli. Use plain plant yogurt for the dressing instead of Greek, and swap nutritional yeast for the feta.
Special thanks to my client Tony for inspiring this creation.
Need a customized nutrition plan with support and accountability to meet your physique and performance goals? Contact me.
I am an Amazon associate and earn from qualifying purchases. This helps keep the website ad-free!
