• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

From A Chef's Kitchen logo

  • Home
  • About
    • Privacy Policy and Terms of Use
    • Accessibility Statement
    • Disclosure
    • Use of Content and Photography
  • Recipes
    • Appetizers and Snacks
    • Breads and Muffins
    • Breakfast and Brunch
    • Desserts
    • Pickles and Relishes
    • Main Course / Entrees
      • Beef
      • Chicken and Turkey
      • Fish and Seafood
      • Lamb
      • Main Course – Dinner Salads
      • Pork
    • Pizza and Pasta
    • Quiches and Tarts
    • Sandwiches
    • Sauces Dressings and Marinades
    • Side Dishes
      • Beans, Rice & Grains
      • Potatoes
      • Salads
      • Vegetables
    • Soups and Stews
    • Vegetarian / Vegan Entrees
    • Recipe Collections
      • Date Night Dinners
      • Grilling Favorites
      • Holiday Ideas
      • Ideas For Entertaining
      • Light and Healthy
      • Make Ahead and Meal Prep
      • One Pan / One Pot
      • Round-Ups
      • Slow Cooker Season Favorites
      • Weeknight Dinner Solutions
  • Work With Me
  • Subscribe
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Home
  • Recipe Index
  • About
  • Work With Me
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Tumblr
    • Twitter
  • ×

    YOU ARE HERE: Home » Recipes » Main Course - Dinner Salads » Chicken Pasta Salad with Spinach Buttermilk Dressing

    By Carol · Published: Aug 9, 2015 · Modified: Feb 16, 2022 · This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure.

    Chicken Pasta Salad with Spinach Buttermilk Dressing

    Jump to Recipe
    5 from 1 vote
    1 hour
    Chicken Pasta Salad with Spinach and Buttermilk Dressing

    Chicken Pasta Salad with Spinach Buttermilk Dressing is cool, creamy and delicious!  Roasted chicken, bowtie pasta, mayonnaise, buttermilk, spinach, fresh dill and tomatoes combine for a salad that’s a budget-friendly crowd pleaser.

    Photo of Chicken Pasta Salad with Spinach Buttermilk Dressing in white bowl with serving utensils.

    This Chicken Pasta Salad with Spinach Buttermilk Dressing is an oldie but goodie of mine.  It is inspired by a recipe in 365 Ways to Cook Pasta, For Every Season, For Every Reason, A Pasta Lover’s Paradise by Marie Simmons.  The cookbook was first published in 1988, updated in 1996 and again in 2005.

    Photo of the cover of 365 Ways to Cook Pasta by Marie Simmons.

    A pasta salad may not be on the cutting edge of culinary evolution.  However, I’ve made this for potlucks, bridal showers, funerals and personal chef clients and it’s always a hit.

    I use bowtie pasta for this Chicken Pasta Salad with Spinach Buttermilk Dressing because it’s pretty.  However, penne or rotini (regular, whole-grain or gluten-free) also work.

    Tips for making pasta salad:

    • After cooking the pasta, drain in a colander then rinse with cold running water to cool and remove excess starch.
    • Drain well, then toss the pasta with a small amount of oil.  The oil keeps the pasta from absorbing too much of the dressing.  If you’re making this salad ahead of time, the oil prevents the pasta from drying out and getting sticky in the refrigerator.
    • Save time by using rotisserie chicken instead of cooking the chicken yourself.
    • The dressing comes together quickly; simply combine all the ingredients in a food processor or blender and process until smooth.
    • Buttermilk is a wonderful ingredient to keep on hand, especially for salad dressings.  It’s much lower in fat than sour cream and adds a delightful tanginess.
    • Squeezing the water from frozen chopped spinach can be a nuisance.  However, because the spinach is going into a liquid, it doesn’t need to be perfectly dry–just give it a reasonably good squeeze.

    A nice variation on this Chicken Pasta Salad with Spinach Buttermilk Dressing would be to use peas instead of the tomatoes.

    Enjoy!

    Photo of Chicken Pasta Salad with Spinach Buttermilk Dressing in white bowl.

    More pasta salads you’re sure to love!

    • Whole-Wheat Pasta Salad with Cucumber Dressing, Peas and Fresh Dill
    • Southwestern Orzo Pasta Salad with Cilantro – Lime Dressing
    • Greek Orzo Pasta Salad
    • Caprese Pizza Pasta Salad

    Chicken Pasta Salad with Spinach Buttermilk Dressing

    5 from 1 vote
    By: Carol | From A Chef's Kitchen
    Chicken Pasta Salad with Spinach Buttermilk Dressing is a cool, creamy, delicious and budget-friendly way to feed and please a crowd!
    PRINT RECIPE PIN RECIPE
    Prep Time 35 mins
    Cook Time 25 mins
    Total Time 1 hr
    Course Main Course / Dinner Salads
    Cuisine American
    Servings 8
    Calories 440 kcal

    Equipment

    • Wusthof Chef Knife
    • Cutting Board
    • Pasta Pot with Insert
    • Food Processor
    • Stainless Steel Mixing Bowls

    Ingredients
      

    Chicken Salad

    • 4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves - (2 ½ pounds)
    • 3 tablespoons canola oil - divided
    • salt and freshly ground black pepper
    • 1 pound farfalle pasta - (bowties)
    • 1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes - halved
    • ½ medium red onion - chopped

    Dressing

    • 1 bag (12-ounce) frozen chopped spinach - thawed and squeezed of excess moisture
    • 1 medium cucumber - seeded and coarsely chopped
    • ½ cup chopped fresh baby dill
    • 4 scallions - white and light green part only, coarsely chopped
    • 3 cloves garlic - coarsely chopped
    • 1 cup mayonnaise - regular or reduced-fat
    • 1 cup buttermilk - regular or reduced-fat
    • 1 package ranch salad dressing mix
    • Fresh lemon juice - to taste
    • Salt and freshly ground black pepper - to taste

    Instructions
     

    Chicken Salad

    • Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
    • Drizzle chicken with oil and season with salt and black pepper. Roast for 22 to 25 minutes or until cooked through to at least 165 degrees.
    • Let cool, then cut into ½-inch pieces.
    • Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
    • Cook the pasta until al dente (cooked, but still firm to the bite). Drain and rinse with cold water. Drain well. Toss with approximately 2 tablespoons canola oil.
    • Transfer pasta to a large bowl. Add chicken, tomatoes and red onion.

    Dressing

    • Combine all dressing ingredients in a food processor or blender. Process until smooth. Add lemon juice and salt and black pepper to taste. Pour dressing over salad and toss to coat. Best served immediately.

    Notes

    MAKE-AHEAD:  Cook chicken and pasta. Chop chicken and refrigerate. (Chicken and pasta may be stored together in a container). Make dressing and refrigerate separately. Before serving, halve tomatoes and dice onion. Add dressing, toss and serve.
    VARIATION:  Use fresh or frozen peas in place of the tomatoes.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 8 | Calories: 440kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 32g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 26g | Cholesterol: 75mg | Sodium: 432mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 9g

    These are estimated values generated from a nutritional database using unbranded products. Please do your own research with the products you're using if you have a serious health issue or are following a specific diet.

    Did you make this recipe? Please leave a comment, star rating or post your photo on Instagram and tag @fromachefskitchen.
    « Sweet and Spicy Barbecue Chicken Sliders
    Grilled Turkish Ground Lamb Kebabs »
    917 shares
    • Share52
    • Tweet
    • Yummly
    • Email

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Michelle at A Dish of Daily Life says

      August 23, 2015 at 9:03 am

      I love bowties too! They’re one of my favorite pasta shapes! Your salad sounds delicious…I’ll definitely give this a try!

      Reply
      • Carol says

        August 23, 2015 at 9:34 am

        Thanks, Michelle!

        Reply

    Leave a Comment, Rating or Question Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    Welcome and glad you’re here!

    Follow Me

    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Tumblr
    • Twitter

    AS SEEN ON

    Top 10 Reader Favorites

    Classic French Ratatouille in white Dutch oven garnished with fresh basil.

    Traditional Ratatouille Recipe

    Photo of Roasted Beet Salad with Walnuts Goat Cheese and Honey Balsamic Dressing on white oval platter with serving utensils.

    Roasted Beet Salad with Walnuts Goat Cheese and Honey Balsamic Dressing

    Kicked Up Canned Baked Beans - Overhead shot after spoon is inserted into the baked beans

    Kicked-Up Canned Baked Beans

    Garlic Herb Muffin Pan Potato Galettes - Straight-on hero shot on white background garnished with fresh thyme

    Garlic Herb Muffin Pan Potato Galettes

    Vegan Thai Green Sweet Potato Curry - Overhead hero shot of curry in white cooking vessel garnished with cilantro and lime wedges on pale blue background

    Vegan Thai Green Sweet Potato Curry

    Italian Pot Roast (Straccato) and Oven-Baked Gorgonzola Polenta - Overhead hero shot

    Italian Pot Roast (Stracotto) and Oven-Baked Gorgonzola Polenta

    Beef Braciole on gray-rimmed platter ready to serve with serving fork

    Beef Braciole Recipe (Braciola)

    Spicy Asian Pork Cabbage Rolls overhead shot of entire pan

    Spicy Asian Pork Cabbage Rolls

    Korean Braised Beef Short Ribs

    Korean Braised Beef Short Ribs Recipe

    Curry Braised Chicken Thighs hero shot in pan garnished with cilantro on dark wood surface with yellow striped towel

    Curry Braised Chicken Thighs

    Summer is Salad Season!

    Mediterranean Barley Salad with Green Beans, Red Bell Pepper, Olives and Feta in serving bowl with serving spoon garnished with fresh parsley.

    Mediterranean Barley Salad with Green Beans, Red Bell Pepper, Olives and Feta

    Greek Farro Salad - Overhead hero shot of salad on round platter garnished with parsley

    Mediterranean Farro Salad

    Cover photo of four salads

    20 Super Side Salads for Your Summer Soiree!

    Yogurt Ranch Cucumber Salad

    Tuscan Cherry Tomato and White Bean Salad in serving bowl garnished with fresh basil.

    Tuscan Cherry Tomato and White Bean Salad

    Southwestern Orzo Pasta Salad with Cilantro Lime Dressing

    Autumn Panzanella Salad - Overhead hero shot of salad in wood bowl on dark blue background

    Autumn Panzanella

    Quinoa Tabbouleh with Grilled Vegetables

    Quinoa Tabbouleh with Grilled Vegetables

    Lemony Broccoli, Barley and Bean Salad - Overhead shot of salad in white bowl garnished with parsley

    Lemony Broccoli Barley and White Bean Salad

    Tabouli with Fresh Jalapeno

    Tabouli (Tabbouleh) with Fresh Jalapeno

    Footer

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • Disclosure
    • Terms of Use
    • Accessibility Statement

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up for emails and updates!!

    Contact

    • Contact
    • Facebook
    • Pinterest
    • Instagram

    Copyright © 2021 From A Chef's Kitchen and A Thought For Food

    • 52Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Pinterest
    • Yummly
    • Email
    917 shares