Cold pasta salad with chicken

Posted: July 6, 2025

This easy cold pasta salad with chicken is the perfect dish for a warm summer evening. It’s easy to make, and the Italian flavors are truly delicious.

Who doesn’t love pasta salad with smoked chicken? I certainly am a fan of pasta salads and they do taste best in the summer. This Italian pasta salad with smoked chicken, bacon, tomato, and pesto is one of my favorites.

Anything that needs to be cooked or baked can be prepared in advance. For example, you can do it in the morning when it’s still cool out. Then, before dinner, all you have to do is chop a few fresh ingredients and toss everything together in a bowl. This will save you from panting and sweating over a hot stove at dinnertime. 😉

Why this recipe works

perfect for summer – this pasta salad with chicken is the perfect recipe for warm summer nights
prepare in advance – it’s ideal to use for meal prep and as a side dish for barbecue

Recipe ingredients

pasta – you can use any kind of cooked pasta. I went with farfalle here but you can use all shorter types. I would not use spaghetti or another long pasta for this salad. Important is to cook the pasta al dente.
chicken – I used smoked chicken breasts that are already pre-cooked and super easy to use. You can also go for rotisserie chicken or grilled chicken leftovers if you have any.
bacon – nothing better than adding crispy bacon!
cherry tomatoes – or grape tomatoes
pesto – you can make it yourself or go for store-bought. It makes for an easy and simple dressing.
cucumber – instead of the cucumber you can also add things like bell peppers, red onion, fresh herbs, or green onions.

For exact details and full ingredients make sure to check the recipe card below.

How to make the pasta salad with chicken

Step 1: Cook the pasta and roast pine nuts

You start by cooking the pasta in a large pot of salted water until al dente. Rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process and let it cool. Roast the pine nuts in a dry skillet, let it cool and set aside. Fry the slices of bacon and let it drain on paper towels.

Step 2: Cut the other ingredients

Chop the tomatoes, the cucumber and the smoked chicken. In a big bowl add all the ingredients together and mix some pesto through it. Sprinkle some pine nuts on top and serve with parmesan cheese, extra virgin olive oil and arugula.

Storing the pasta salad with chicken

This pasta salad is easy to store. In the fridge, it will keep for about 2 days if placed in an airtight container.

Making a vegetarian pasta salad:

To make a vegetarian version of this Italian pasta salad, replace the smoked chicken and bacon with olives and mozzarella. Olives have a deliciously salty flavor, making them a good vegetarian alternative to bacon. If you don’t like olives, sun-dried tomatoes are a tasty, flavorful alternative. Mozzarella always tastes good in this salad, whether you add meat or not.

Would you like to add more or different vegetables?

Would you like to add more fresh vegetables to this pasta salad, or simply replace the tomatoes and/or cucumbers? Consider the vegetables below. My only tip is not to overdo it and to choose a maximum of three different vegetables. Otherwise, you won’t be able to taste the individual flavors. You can also add some Italian seasoning, black pepper and even some dijon mustard to change things up.

Bell peppers (raw or, even better, grilled!)
Grilled zucchini
Marinated artichoke hearts
Grilled green asparagus
Broccoli or bimi, cooked or grilled.

What to serve with the pasta salad?

On a weekday, a large bowl of pasta salad is a complete meal. However, if you’re making it for summer gatherings, you might want to serve something else. Here are a few suggestions for what to serve with this pasta salad:

Olives
Freshly baked focaccia
Snack vegetables
Crostini
Tasty dips
Fresh basil, for garnish
Parmesan cheese for garnish
Arugula for garnish

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Chicken Pasta Salad Recipe

This cold pasta salad with chicken recipe is an ideal meal for warm days. It's incredibly easy to make and has a delicious, summery flavor.

Prep Time10

Cook Time10

Total Time20

Servings: people

Ingredients

Metric | US Customary

350 grams pasta such as farfalle
150 grams bacon strips
1 handful roasted pine nuts
1/2 cucumber chopped
300 grams cherry tomatoes halved
5 tablespoons green pesto
150 grams smoked chicken breast

Instructions

If you want to prepare the pasta salad in the morning, you can complete the following steps ahead of time. Roast the pine nuts and let them cool completely. Then, store them in a sealed container.
Cook the pasta according to the package instructions and let it cool to room temperature. Fry the bacon until cooked through, then let it cool. Mix everything together, then store it in a sealed container in the refrigerator until you are ready to eat.
Making pasta salad with chicken
Twenty minutes before serving, follow these steps. Remove the pasta and bacon mixture from the refrigerator and mix in the pesto.
Cut the cucumber into pieces, halve the cherry tomatoes, and slice the smoked chicken breast into thin pieces. Mix these ingredients into the pasta salad, then divide it between serving bowls. Sprinkle pine nuts on top. Serve with Parmesan cheese, olive oil, and arugula, if desired.

Tips

Curious about other flavor combinations you can make with this salad? Read all the tips above the recipe because there are countless delicious variations.

How to store

This salad will be kept for at least 1-2 days if covered and refrigerated.

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Cold pasta salad with chicken

Why this recipe works

Recipe ingredients

How to make the pasta salad with chicken