Chicken and pesto pasta salad
Nutrition per serving
A complete, tasty pasta salad: wholewheat pasta, grilled chicken, cherry tomatoes and pesto. High in protein and easy to take with you, it is a balanced lunch that is eaten cold.
Prep: 15 min | Cook: 15 min | Servings: 4 | Difficulty: Very easy
Calculated per serving from Anses Ciqual 2025 values for each ingredient, based on the quantities in the list. Household measures (spoonfuls, pieces) use average weights. 283 kcal · 22 g protein · 28 g carbohydrate · 9 g fat
Ingredients
- 300 g wholewheat pasta
- 2 chicken breasts
- 300 g cherry tomatoes
- 3 tbsp pesto
- 100 g rocket
- Parmesan
Method
- Cook the pasta and let it cool.
- Grill the chicken and dice it.
- Mix the pasta, chicken, tomatoes and pesto.
- Add the rocket and a little Parmesan.
Nutritional benefits
Wholewheat pasta provides carbohydrate with a moderate glycaemic index and fibre, the chicken lean protein, and the pesto healthy fats and flavour. This balanced main-meal salad is eaten cold, which makes it ideal for lunchboxes and picnics.
Variations and substitutions
- With pulse-based pasta (higher in protein, gluten-free).
- With mozzarella or feta.
- With red pesto (sun-dried tomatoes).
- With toasted pine nuts.
Storage and preparing ahead
Keeps for 3 days in the fridge: ideal for meal prep. Add the rocket at the last minute.
💡 Good to know
Keep a little pasta cooking water to loosen the pesto: it coats cold pasta better without clumping.
Related reading
Discover more: high-protein recipes · healthy & balanced recipes.
Foods in this recipe: pasta · chicken breasts · cherry tomatoes · pesto.
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