Best Summer Chicken Pasta Salad

I never understood pasta salad until I moved to Portland. Growing up, it was always the sad, mushy thing sitting in a plastic container at potlucks—you know the one. But then I had a really good pasta salad at a friend’s barbecue one summer, and it changed everything for me.

The secret? Fresh ingredients and a dressing that actually has flavor. This summer chicken pasta salad has berries, spinach, and a sweet poppy seed dressing that makes it taste like you tried way harder than you actually did. It’s the kind of thing you can throw together on a Sunday and eat all week for lunch, or bring to a cookout without feeling embarrassed. Plus, it keeps well in the fridge, which means less time cooking during the week—and that’s a win in my book.

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What Kind of Pasta Should I Use?

For this summer pasta salad, you can really use any short pasta shape you have on hand – rotini, penne, bow ties, or shells all work great. The key is choosing a pasta with some texture or ridges that will help the dressing cling to it better. If you’re gluten-free, don’t worry – there are tons of good gluten-free pasta options these days made from rice, chickpeas, or lentils that hold up well in cold salads. Just make sure to cook your pasta al dente (slightly firm) since it will soften a bit more as it sits in the dressing, and nobody wants mushy pasta salad.

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Options for Substitutions

This pasta salad is easy to customize based on what you have in your kitchen:

• Pasta: Any short pasta works great here – try rotini, penne, bow ties, or shells. If you need a gluten-free option, most gluten-free pastas will work just fine.
• Chicken: Rotisserie chicken is a time-saver, but leftover grilled chicken, poached chicken, or even canned chicken will do the job. For a vegetarian version, swap in chickpeas or white beans.
• Fresh berries: Use whatever berries look good at the store – blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, or strawberries all work. You can also mix and match different types.
• Toasted almonds: Pecans, walnuts, or sunflower seeds make good substitutes. If you’re dealing with nut allergies, just use sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds instead.
• Mayonnaise: Greek yogurt or sour cream can replace some or all of the mayo for a lighter dressing. Start with half mayo and half yogurt if you want to ease into it.
• Apple cider vinegar: White wine vinegar or regular white vinegar will work in a pinch, though the flavor will be slightly different.
• Fresh basil: Fresh mint or fresh parsley can step in if you don’t have basil on hand.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest mistake people make with pasta salad is not rinsing the cooked pasta with cold water, which stops the cooking process and prevents the noodles from turning mushy and clumping together.

Another common error is adding the dressing while the pasta is still warm – this causes the mayonnaise to break down and makes your salad watery instead of creamy, so make sure everything is completely cooled before mixing.

To keep your fresh berries from getting crushed and turning the whole salad purple, add them gently at the very end and fold them in carefully rather than stirring vigorously.

Finally, pasta salad tastes best when it sits in the fridge for at least an hour before serving, giving the flavors time to blend together, but if it seems dry after chilling, just stir in a tablespoon or two of extra mayo to bring back that creamy texture.

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What to Serve With Chicken Pasta Salad?

This pasta salad is pretty much a complete meal on its own since it’s packed with chicken, veggies, and fruit, but I love serving it alongside some warm garlic bread or dinner rolls for a casual summer lunch. If you’re hosting a backyard barbecue or potluck, it pairs really well with grilled corn on the cob, watermelon slices, or some simple cucumber tomato salad. For a lighter side, try some kettle-cooked chips or pita chips with hummus, which adds a nice crunch without weighing things down. This salad also works great as a side dish if you’re grilling burgers, hot dogs, or BBQ chicken for a crowd.

Storage Instructions

Store: This pasta salad actually gets better after sitting in the fridge for a few hours as the flavors meld together. Keep it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The berries might soften a bit over time, but it still tastes great!

Make Ahead: You can prep this salad a day in advance, which makes it perfect for summer gatherings or meal prep. I like to keep the dressing separate and toss everything together a few hours before serving to keep the spinach from wilting too much. The almonds stay crunchier this way too.

Serve: This salad is best enjoyed cold, straight from the fridge. Give it a good stir before serving since the dressing can settle at the bottom. If it seems a bit dry after a day or two, just drizzle in a little extra olive oil or a splash of apple cider vinegar to freshen it up.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 1400-1600
• Protein: 60-75 g
• Fat: 70-85 g
• Carbohydrates: 130-160 g

Ingredients

For the salad:

• 8 oz pasta (Barilla rotini or bowties)
• 2 1/4 cups chicken (shredded or cut into 1/2-inch cubes)
• 2 cups spinach
• 1.5 cups berries
• 1/3 cup red onion (thinly sliced into half-moons)
• 1/2 cup almonds
• 1/4 cup cranberries
• 2 green onions
• 3 tbsp basil (chiffonade or cut into thin ribbons)
• 1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese
• 1 tsp fresh lemon zest

For the dressing:

• 2/3 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 2.5 tbsp honey
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tsp poppy seeds
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper

Step 1: Cook Pasta and Prepare Mise en Place

• 8 oz pasta
• 1/3 cup red onion
• 2 green onions
• 3 tbsp basil
• 1/2 cup almonds
• 1/4 cup cranberries
• 1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente.

While the pasta cooks, prepare all your ingredients: slice the red onion into thin half-moons, cut the green onions into 1/2-inch pieces, chiffonade the basil into thin ribbons, and measure out the almonds, cranberries, and feta.

When the pasta is done, drain it in a colander and rinse thoroughly with cold water to stop the cooking process and cool it completely—this prevents the salad from becoming warm and wilted.

Step 2: Build the Creamy Poppy Seed Dressing

• 2/3 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 2.5 tbsp honey
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tsp poppy seeds
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper

In a medium bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, honey, olive oil, poppy seeds, salt, and black pepper until smooth and well combined.

I like to taste the dressing as I mix it—the balance between the tanginess of vinegar and the sweetness of honey is key to making this salad sing.

Set the dressing aside until you’re ready to toss everything together.

Step 3: Assemble the Salad Base

• cooked and cooled pasta from Step 1
• 2 1/4 cups chicken
• 2 cups spinach
• 1.5 cups berries
• prepared red onion from Step 1
• prepared almonds from Step 1
• prepared cranberries from Step 1
• 2-3 tbsp basil ribbons from Step 1

In a large bowl, combine the cooled pasta from Step 1 with the spinach, shredded or cubed chicken, berries, prepared red onion, almonds, cranberries, and most of the basil ribbons (reserve some for garnish).

Toss gently to distribute all the ingredients evenly.

I recommend saving some of the delicate items like berries for gentle handling—add them last and fold them in carefully to avoid crushing them.

Step 4: Dress and Finish the Salad

• dressing from Step 2
• reserved basil ribbons from Step 1
• 1 tsp fresh lemon zest
• prepared feta cheese from Step 1
• prepared green onions from Step 1

Pour the dressing from Step 2 over the assembled salad and toss everything together until evenly coated.

Top with the reserved basil ribbons, fresh lemon zest, feta cheese, and green onions for brightness and visual appeal.

Serve immediately, or chill until ready to serve—this salad is best enjoyed within a few hours while the flavors are fresh and the texture is at its peak.

Best Summer Chicken Pasta Salad

Delicious Best Summer Chicken Pasta Salad recipe with step-by-step instructions.

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Servings 8 servings

Calories 1500 kcal

Ingredients

  

For the salad

• 8 oz pasta (Barilla rotini or bowties)
• 2 1/4 cups chicken (shredded or cut into 1/2-inch cubes)
• 2 cups spinach
• 1.5 cups berries
• 1/3 cup red onion (thinly sliced into half-moons)
• 1/2 cup almonds
• 1/4 cup cranberries
• 2 green onions
• 3 tbsp basil (chiffonade or cut into thin ribbons)
• 1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese
• 1 tsp fresh lemon zest

For the dressing

• 2/3 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 2.5 tbsp honey
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tsp poppy seeds
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper

Instructions

 

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente. While the pasta cooks, prepare all your ingredients: slice the red onion into thin half-moons, cut the green onions into 1/2-inch pieces, chiffonade the basil into thin ribbons, and measure out the almonds, cranberries, and feta. When the pasta is done, drain it in a colander and rinse thoroughly with cold water to stop the cooking process and cool it completely—this prevents the salad from becoming warm and wilted.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, honey, olive oil, poppy seeds, salt, and black pepper until smooth and well combined. I like to taste the dressing as I mix it—the balance between the tanginess of vinegar and the sweetness of honey is key to making this salad sing. Set the dressing aside until you're ready to toss everything together.
• In a large bowl, combine the cooled pasta from Step 1 with the spinach, shredded or cubed chicken, berries, prepared red onion, almonds, cranberries, and most of the basil ribbons (reserve some for garnish). Toss gently to distribute all the ingredients evenly. I recommend saving some of the delicate items like berries for gentle handling—add them last and fold them in carefully to avoid crushing them.
• Pour the dressing from Step 2 over the assembled salad and toss everything together until evenly coated. Top with the reserved basil ribbons, fresh lemon zest, feta cheese, and green onions for brightness and visual appeal. Serve immediately, or chill until ready to serve—this salad is best enjoyed within a few hours while the flavors are fresh and the texture is at its peak.