This easy creamy chicken pasta salad combines juicy seasoned chicken thighs, short-cut pasta, cherry tomatoes, spinach, avocado, sharp cheddar, and a tangy yogurt-mayo dressing. Great for BBQs, summer lunches, or weeknight dinners.
The Only Chicken Pasta Salad You Need This Summer
I love a good pasta salad in the summer, and this one checks all the boxes—it’s filling, flavorful, and easy to prep. I cook seasoned chicken thighs on the stovetop or grill them, then toss with short pasta (like ditalini or elbow macaroni), baby spinach, avocado, cherry tomatoes, cheddar, and a creamy yogurt-mayo dressing. It’s a great summer side—perfect with BBQs, summer lunches, or weeknight dinners—just like my Parmesan garlic lemon green beans or cheesy baked asparagus with bacon and cheese. It’s flexible too—use rotisserie chicken, add bacon, swap in cucumbers or red onion, and use whatever pasta you’ve got. Picnic-ready, crowd-friendly, and easy to make ahead—just like my Mexican corn dip and Greek orzo salad. Serve it with strawberry basil mocktail!
The Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
- Chicken: I used boneless, skinless chicken thighs and cooked them on the stovetop. You can grill them instead or use leftover cooked or rotisserie chicken.
- Seasonings: I used olive oil, garlic powder, Italian herbs, chili powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. You can use your favorite seasoning mix here.
- Dressing: I made a creamy dressing by mixing Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, whole grain mustard, lemon juice, and salt. If you don't want to use mayo, you can swap Greek yogurt for sour cream. Other creamy dressings like ranch or creamy avocado dressing work great too.
- Pasta: I used ditalini - a cute short pasta you can buy at most stores. You can also use classic elbow macaroni, small rigatoni, orzo, farfalle, or even couscous.
- Greens: Baby spinach is my go-to for this salad, but you can switch it up with mixed greens, arugula, or romaine lettuce depending on what’s fresh.
- Cheese: I use sharp white cheddar, but mild cheddar, Monterey Jack, or mozzarella "pearls" are great alternatives too.
- Vegetables: I add cherry tomatoes, avocado, and spring onions for freshness and texture. You can also toss in cucumbers, red onions, or bell peppers.
How to Make Creamy Chicken Pasta Salad (Step-by-Step)
Note: This is only an overview of the recipe with helpful step-by-step photos. The detailed recipe + the ingredient amounts are at the bottom of this post - if you want to jump straight down to the recipe - CLICK HERE.
- Marinate the Chicken: Toss chicken thighs with olive oil, garlic powder, Italian herbs, chili powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Cover and marinate for 30 minutes in the fridge.
- Cook the Chicken: Sear in a hot grill pan with a little oil, about 5 minutes per side, until cooked through. Let cool.
- Make the Dressing: In a bowl, whisk together Greek yogurt, mayo, whole grain mustard, lemon juice, and a pinch of salt until smooth.
- Assemble the Salad: In a large bowl, combine the dressing with the pasta, spinach, tomatoes, avocado, cheddar, and green onions. Slice the cooled chicken and toss it in. Mix until everything’s evenly coated and serve.
Make-Ahead Tips
- Avocado Tip: If making ahead, add the avocado just before serving to prevent browning. You can also toss the avocado cubes in lemon juice to slow oxidation.
- Make-Ahead Components: To extend freshness, store the dressing, chicken, and pasta separately. Combine just before serving for the best texture and appearance.
- Dressing: The yogurt-mayo dressing can be made up to 3 days in advance and stored in the fridge in a sealed jar or container.
Storage Tips
- Refrigeration: Store the fully assembled salad in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2–3 days. The flavor is best within the first 24 hours.
- Freezing: This salad does not freeze well due to the fresh vegetables, dairy-based dressing, and avocado. Stick to refrigeration only.
- Serving Again: If serving leftovers, give it a good stir and taste before serving. Add a squeeze of lemon or a spoonful of extra dressing to freshen things up.
More Summer Chicken Pasta Salads
- Chicken and Corn Pasta Salad with Bacon and Creamy Basil Pesto Dressing
- Chicken Pasta Salad with Fresh Peaches and Spinach
- Creamy Chicken Pasta Salad with Cranberries, Pecans, and Poppy Seeds
- Chicken and Apricot Pasta Salad with Spinach, Bacon, and Feta
Chicken Pasta Salad
This easy creamy chicken pasta salad combines juicy seasoned chicken thighs, short-cut pasta, cherry tomatoes, spinach, avocado, sharp cheddar, and a tangy yogurt-mayo dressing. Great for BBQs, summer lunches, or weeknight dinners.
Ingredients
For the chicken:
- 1 ½ tablespoons olive oil
- 1 lb skinless boneless chicken thighs
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon Italian herbs
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika powder
- Salt and pepper to taste
For the dressing:
- ½ cup Greek yogurt
- ⅓ cup mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon whole grain mustard
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- Salt to taste
For the salad:
- 0.75 lb short pasta use Ditalini Rigatti or small rigatoni
- 2 cups baby spinach
- 6 oz white sharp cheddar cheese cut into small cubes
- 10 cherry tomatoes halved
- 1 large avocado peeled, pitted, cut into cubes
- 2 spring onions white and light green parts sliced
- Fresh basil for garnish
Instructions
Prepare the chicken:
- Prepare the chicken: add olive oil, chicken thighs, garlic powder, Italian herbs, chili powder, smoked paprika, and salt and pepper, to taste.
- Coat the chicken with spices and cover with a plastic foil. Refrigerate the chicken for 30 minutes.
- Heat some olive oil (around 1 tablespoon) in a grill pan over medium high heat. Add the chicken and cook for 5 minutes per side or until the chicken is cooked through.
- Set the chicken aside to cool.
Cook your pasta:
- Cook the pasta: cook your pasta in a pot of salted boiling water according to package directions. I cooked my pasta for 6 minutes until al dente. Drain the pasta and while it is still hot, coat it with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. This will prevent your pasta from sticking together.
Prepare the dressing:
- Prepare the dressing: in a bowl, whisk together Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, whole grain mustard, lemon juice, and salt to taste. Stir until well combined.
- Prepare the salad: wash your veggies before use. Halve or quarter the cherry tomatoes (depending on their size), cube the cheddar cheese, cut the avocado into cubes, and slice the spring onions.
Assemble:
- Assemble the salad: add your veggies, cherry tomatoes, baby spinach, avocado, cheddar cheese, and spring onions into the bowl with the dressing.
- Add the cooked pasta. Toss gently.
- Slice your chicken and add it into the salad. Toss once again, until your ingredients are well coated.
- Serve salad immediately, garnished with fresh basil.
Notes
- Dressing options: Instead of the Greek yogurt you can use sour cream. Or, to skip the mayo use 50/50 combo of Greek yogurt and sour cream.
- Mustard options: The whole grain mustard is not mandatory. I like it because it gives a nice crunchy texture, but you can use plain mustard.
- Cheddar: Use mild or sharp cheddar cheese – whatever you like. Keep in mind that sharp cheddar cheese will give you some extra flavor.
- Green options: You can add some other veggies, like cucumbers or purple onions. Baby spinach is an amazing addition, but you can also go with mixed greens or plain lettuce.
- Chicken options: Chicken thighs are the juiciest part oof the chicken, but if you have chicken breasts they will work too.
- Best pasta to use: For this recipe you can use any type of small pasta, such as ditalini, mini rigatoni, orzo pasta, farfalline or pasta such as elbow macaroni or farfalle.
Nutrition
Nutrition Information
Chicken Pasta Salad
Amount per Serving
Calories
615
% Daily Value*
Fat
32
g
49
%
Saturated Fat
9
g
56
%
Trans Fat
0.04
g
Polyunsaturated Fat
8
g
Monounsaturated Fat
11
g
Cholesterol
106
mg
35
%
Sodium
391
mg
17
%
Potassium
660
mg
19
%
Carbohydrates
50
g
17
%
Fiber
5
g
21
%
Sugar
4
g
4
%
Protein
32
g
64
%
Vitamin A
1757
IU
35
%
Vitamin C
15
mg
18
%
Calcium
272
mg
27
%
Iron
2
mg
11
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Nutrition Disclaimer:
The nutritional information on this website is only an estimate and is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed. It should not be used as a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
This was so delish! I like that everything is made on the stovetop and that I don't have to start a grill. The chicken tastes amazing and the chicken seasonings pair perfectly with the rest of the ingredients. I used 3 tablespoons of Honey Mustard.
Hi Alex! I love the addition of Honey Mustard to the salad dressing - sounds YUM! 🙂