Description
A fresh and vibrant Chicken Caprese Pasta Salad with juicy chicken tenderloins, tender pasta, mozzarella pearls, cherry tomatoes, avocado, and fresh basil, all tossed in a flavorful balsamic dressing and finished with a drizzle of balsamic glaze.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb chicken tenderloins
- 1 lb spiral pasta, uncooked
- 8 oz mozzarella pearls
- 1 cup fresh basil, sliced
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes, sliced
- 1 large avocado, diced
- Balsamic glaze, for garnish
- ⅔ cup olive oil
- ½ cup balsamic vinegar
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 Tbsp Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp salt
- Cracked black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- In a bowl, whisk together olive oil, balsamic vinegar, minced garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, and cracked black pepper to make the dressing/marinade.
- Place chicken tenderloins in the dressing and let marinate for at least 15-30 minutes.
- Cook spiral pasta according to package instructions. Drain and let cool slightly.
- Grill or pan-sear marinated chicken until fully cooked, about 5-7 minutes per side. Let rest, then slice.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine cooked pasta, mozzarella pearls, cherry tomatoes, avocado, and sliced basil.
- Add sliced chicken to the pasta mixture and toss gently with any remaining dressing.
- Transfer to a serving dish and drizzle balsamic glaze over the top before serving.
Notes
- For extra flavor, marinate the chicken overnight.
- Use gluten-free pasta if needed for a gluten-free version.
- Serve chilled or at room temperature.
- Optional: sprinkle with pine nuts or Parmesan for added texture.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 420
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 650mg
- Fat: 20g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 40g
- Fiber: 5g
- Protein: 28g
- Cholesterol: 80mg
Keywords: chicken caprese pasta salad, summer pasta salad, healthy pasta salad, Italian salad, easy dinner salad