This chicken pasta salad with creamy avocado dressing is fresh, filling and full of color — tender pasta, juicy tomatoes, peppery arugula and perfectly cooked chicken, all tossed in a silky avocado dressing with parsley, garlic and lemon. It works beautifully as a light lunch, a meal-prep favorite or a crowd-pleasing dish for warm days.
For more chicken favorites, try our Creamy Chicken and Spinach Pasta and these Stuffed Chicken Rolls with Cheese and Garlic — both are comforting, simple and satisfying.
Ingredients
- 200 g (7 oz) pasta
- 2 tomatoes, wedged
- 2 handfuls arugula
- 1 chicken breast, cooked any way
- For the avocado dressing: 1 ripe avocado
- Fresh parsley
- 1 garlic clove
- Lemon juice
- Olive oil
- Salt, pepper, and water as needed
Instructions
- Boil the pasta. Cook the chicken as you like (air fryer, oven, or poached). Arrange everything in bowls and drizzle with avocado dressing.
- For the dressing, blend all ingredients until creamy, thinning with water to your preferred consistency.
Tips
- Cool the pasta slightly before tossing so the avocado dressing stays fresh and creamy.
- Add a squeeze of lemon just before serving to keep the avocado bright.
- Make the dressing a little thinner than you think — it thickens as it coats the pasta.
For avocado and food safety tips, see usda.gov, and for more salad inspiration, visit allrecipes.com.
Nutrition (per serving): 375 kcal, protein 35 g, fat 10 g, carbs 36 g.