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3.38 from 16 votes

Cold Chicken Caprese Pasta Salad

Cold Chicken Caprese Pasta Salad recipe with olive oil, balsamic vinegar and basil dressing, a fantastic salad to be enjoyed as a work lunch or quick easy dinner. Also great to take on a picnic. Filling, tasty and super easy to make.
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time20 minutes
Course: Salad
Cuisine: Italian
Servings: 2 people
Calories: 434kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 cup fussili pasta
  • 1 chicken breast
  • 2 medium tomatoes
  • ½ cup cubed mozzarella cheese
  • 2 tablespoon freshly-chopped basil
  • 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon paprika

Instructions

  • Bring a pan of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta according to the package instructions.
  • When ready, drain the water and set aside to cool.
  • Chop the tomatoes and add them to a bowl together with the cubed mozzarella cheese.
  • Cut the chicken into cubes, add them to a re-sealable bag together with the vegetable oil, salt and pepper.
  • Shake the bag well to coat the chicken, then heat up a grill pan and cook the chicken for about 3-4 minutes on each side until lightly brown and cooked through.
  • Mix the chicken pieces with the cooked pasta, tomatoes and mozzarella.
  • To make the dressing, combine the balsamic vinegar with the olive oil and chopped basil, then drizzle over the salad.
  • Serve cold from the fridge.

Notes

  • I have cooked the chicken on the grill, but leftover chicken from a good chicken roast is also a good option.
  • Fresh basil has a lot more aroma, but if you happen to have only the dry basil that can also be used.
  • Tomatoes can be of any kind or shape, cherry tomatoes, plum tomatoes, or the regular-size tomatoes cut into cubes.

Nutrition

Calories: 434kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 35g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 94mg | Sodium: 898mg | Potassium: 797mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 1530IU | Vitamin C: 18.6mg | Calcium: 166mg | Iron: 1.3mg