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Mediterranean Pesto Chicken Pasta Salad
When you need a fast lunch or a reliable picnic side, this cold pasta salad delivers. It relies on a convenient boxed pesto mix to speed up the process, leaving you more time to focus on the fresh add-ins. You'll toss tender chicken, juicy tomatoes, crisp cucumbers, and briny black olives in a bright, herbaceous dressing. A generous handful of crumbled feta cheese ties everything together with a salty kick.
Ingredients
- 1 box Betty Crocker™ Suddenly Salad™ basil pesto salad mix
- ⅓ cup water
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 cups cut-up cooked chicken
- 1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
- 1 cup coarsely chopped cucumber
- 1 cup crumbled feta cheese
- 1 can (2.25 oz) sliced ripe olives, drained
Instructions
- 1Bring a saucepan of water to a boil and cook the pasta mix for 12 minutes. While the pasta cooks, whisk the seasoning packet, water, and olive oil in a large bowl. Stir in the cooked chicken and set it aside to marinate slightly.
- 2Drain the finished pasta, rinse it under cold water to stop the cooking process, and shake off the excess liquid.
- 3Add the cooled pasta, halved tomatoes, chopped cucumber, crumbled feta cheese, and drained black olives to the bowl with the chicken. Toss everything together until well coated.
- 4Cover the bowl and chill the salad in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour. This resting time allows the pasta to absorb the dressing and the flavors to meld.
Notes
- Storage: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Make ahead: You can chop the vegetables and cook the pasta a day in advance, but wait to toss everything together until a few hours before eating.
- Swap: If you don't have cooked chicken on hand, shredded rotisserie chicken works perfectly here.