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Chicken Pasta Salad with Spinach Buttermilk Dressing in white serving bowl with serving utensils.
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5 from 1 vote

Chicken Pasta Salad with Spinach Buttermilk Dressing

Chicken Pasta Salad with Spinach Buttermilk Dressing is a cool, creamy, delicious and budget-friendly way to feed and please a crowd!
Prep Time35 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
Total Time1 hour
Course: Main Course / Dinner Salads
Cuisine: American
Diet: Kosher
Servings: 8
Author: Carol | From A Chef's Kitchen

Equipment

Ingredients

Chicken Salad

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