Lemon Basil Pasta Salad with Chicken — 🍋🥒🍅 This chicken pasta salad is loaded with flavor, ready in minutes, and showcases Mediterranean-inspired ingredients! It’s perfect for summer potlucks and barbecues (no mayo!) and feeds a crowd. Or make it as an EASY family dinner with planned leftovers!
Table of contents
There’s Mediterranean-inspired flavor and texture galore in every bite of this fresh and easy pasta salad!
Tender lemon pepper chicken, al dente pasta, chickpeas, crunchy cucumbers and red bell peppers, healthy fresh spinach, the peppery bite of basil, all perfumed with oregano, lemon pepper, lemon juice, garlic, and red onions.
The recipe makes a very big batch making it ideal for parties, picnics, potlucks, or barbecues. It’s also a good dish to make for a hassle-free weeknight dinner knowing you’ll have planned leftovers.
However, you can halve the recipe to make a more modest amount. You can serve it warm or chilled, and since there’s no mayo, it’s great for summertime.
Ingredients in Lemon Basil Pasta Salad
To make this fast and easy pasta salad with chicken and lemon, you’ll need:
- Rotini pasta – any small-shaped pasta will work (bow tie, penne, ziti, orecchiette, wheels, small or medium shell, etc.)
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Chicken breasts
- Chickpeas
- Lemon pepper seasoning
- Dried oregano
- Kosher salt
- Black pepper
- Garlic
- Fresh spinach
- Red bell peppers
- Cucumbers
- Red onions
- Fresh basil leaves
- Fresh lemon juice
- Feta cheese, optional
Note: Scroll down to the recipe card section of the post for the ingredients with amounts included and for more complete directions.
How to Make Lemon Basil Pasta Salad with Chicken
This pasta salad with lemon, chicken, and basil couldn’t be easier to make! Here are the basic recipe steps:
- Cook the pasta: Boil the pasta in a large pot until al dente and then transfer it to very large mixing bowl. Trust me when I say you’ll want to grab the biggest mixing bowl you have!
- Cook the chicken: While the pasta is cooking, cook the chicken in olive oil before adding chickpeas and seasoning with lemon pepper, oregano, salt, and pepper.
- Add the garlic and cook for one minute until it’s fragrant.
- Toss together the pasta salad: Transfer you chicken and chickpea mixture into the bowl the cooked pasta and stir in spinach. It looks like a lot but it wilts dramatically from the carryover heat coming from the pasta and chicken.
- Stir in red bell peppers, cucumbers, red onions, basil, lemon juice, and toss everything extremely well.
Season Generously!
Make sure to taste your pasta salad a taste to see if it needs any additional seasoning such as additional lemon pepper, salt, or pepper. You’re seasoning a very large batch of food and my advice is to not be shy with the salt or pepper. Nothing worse than bland pasta!
However, lemon pepper seasoning can be a bit of a wild card. Some brands have quite a bit of added sodium whereas others don’t. If you’re adding more seasoning at the end of the cook time, add the lemon pepper slowly, stirring well after each addition so you don’t accidentally over season, or shall I say over salt, your pasta salad.
Recipe Variations
Pasta salads are a great way to mix-and-match or improvise with ingredients based on what you have on hand, and what you enjoy.
Apart from swapping out the actual pasta, you can tweak other ingredients such as:
- Cannelloni beans rather than chickpeas, or omit the beans
- Italian seasoning instead of oregano
- A spring mix of greens rather than spinach
- Mint for basil
- Any color bell peppers
- Incorporate tomatoes such as cherry, grape, Roma, or heirloom
- Grated Parmesan cheese instead of the optional feta
- Add artichokes
- Include your favorite olives
- Use gluten-free pasta
Storage Instructions
Store the pasta salad in an airtight container in the fridge. It will last up to 5 days. Serve it gently re-warmed, at room temp, or chilled straight from the fridge.
The spinach and basil will deepen in color as time passes. They may even look borderline black. This doesn’t mean they’ve gone bad — they’re just not quite as visually appealing on day 5 as on day 1.
What to Serve with Chicken Lemon Basil Pasta Salad
Pin This Recipe
Enjoy AverieCooks.com Without Ads! 🆕
Go Ad Free
Mediterranean Lemon Chicken Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 1 pound dry rotini pasta
- 4 tablespoons olive oil, plus more as needed
- 1.50 to 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, diced into bite-sized pieces
- one 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed (I used low sodium)
- 1 to 2 tablespoons lemon pepper seasoning*, or as desired (See Notes)
- ¾ teaspoons dried oregano
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt, or as desired
- ¾ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or as desired
- 3 to 5 cloves garlic, finely chopped or pressed
- 4 cups fresh spinach, or as desired (about 4 huge handfuls)
- 1 medium red bell pepper, diced into small pieces
- 1 medium cucumber or English cucumber, diced into small pieces
- ½ medium red onion, finely chopped
- ⅓ cup fresh basil, chiffonade-cut (fine ribbons)
- Juice from 1 medium fresh lemon
- ½ cup crumbled feta cheese, optional and to taste
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to package directions, drain, place in a very large bowl; set aside. While pasta is boiling, begin cooking the chicken.
- To a large skillet, add 4 tablespoons oil, chicken, and cook over medium-high heat for about 6 to 7 minutes, or until done, flipping intermittently so all sides cook evenly.
- Add the chickpeas and evenly sprinkle with the lemon pepper seasoning, oregano, salt, pepper, and stir to combine. Cook for about 1 minute. If mixture looks dry, add additional olive oil, to taste.
- Add the garlic and cook for about 1 minute, or until fragrant; stir nearly constantly.
- Transfer the chicken and chickpea mixture to the very large bowl with the cooked pasta.
- Add the spinach and stir to combine. It will look like a lot but it will wilt dramatically as it warms from the carryover heat of the pasta and chicken.
- Add the red bell peppers, cucumbers, onions, basil, lemon juice, and stir to combine. If the mixture looks at all dry, add more olive oil, to taste. I added another 3-4 tablespoons.
- Taste the pasta salad, and based on personal preference, add additional lemon pepper, salt, pepper, etc., to taste. Don’t be afraid to add salt and pepper; this is a very large quantity of food and you don’t want it to be bland.
- Optionally, add the feta (note if you don’t want it to melt, wait before adding it until the mixture cools down), and serve, or if desired, chill it before serving. Pasta salad will keep airtight in the fridge for 5 days and can be served warm, at room temp, or chilled.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
©averiecooks.com. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited.
More Chicken Pasta Salad Recipes:
The Best Pasta Salad Recipes – There’s something for everyone in this collection of FAST and EASY pasta salad recipes!! Whether you need something to bring to a potluck or picnic, or are in need of a no-fuss weeknight meal the whole family will enjoy, these recipes have you covered!!
Italian Chicken Pasta Salad — This Italian Chicken Pasta Salad is easy, ready in 20 minutes, and showcases some of my favorite summer ingredients. It’s perfect for summer potlucks and BBQs, or as a no-fuss family dinner!
Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad — The BEST version of a chicken Caesar salad because there’s tender pasta, too!! EASY, ready in 20 minutes, makes a big batch, and a guaranteed family FAVORITE!!
Mandarin Chicken Pasta Salad — EASY, ready in 30 minutes, and packed with Asian-inspired flavors!! Juicy sesame chicken, pasta, and lots of healthy vegetables! PERFECT for potlucks, picnics, parties, and planned leftovers!!
Asian Pasta Salad with Chicken — Big juicy chicken chunks and texture galore from the rainbow of crispy veggies! Fast, easy, fresh and healthy!! Great for picnics, potlucks, and easy dinners!!
Originally posted August 2, 2021 and reposted May 10, 2024 with updated text.
Made this for dinner tonight, served it warm, it was delicious. Husband approved as well! Subbed the feta for Parmesan as suggested. Will definitely keep this in rotation
great
great
The picture you have on the email isn’t chicken pasta salad like it is when you open the email.
I know, it was a glitch, I apologize for that.
The salmon recipe which is what the photo was of is here https://www.averiecooks.com/sheet-pan-asian-salmon-and-broccoli/
great
Now I know what to do with my leftover Costco chicken. Live a greek inspired dish. Thanks for a great recipe.
Yes it will be great!
Loved your post. Best wishes from my side.