Chicken Pasta Salad
Updated Jul 16, 2026
Cold chicken pasta salad with rotini, vegetables, and a Greek yogurt dressing. It's easy to make ahead and great for using leftover chicken.
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I have a very reliable habit of cooking extra chicken, and this chicken pasta salad is one of the reasons I never mind. I add rotini, tomatoes, corn, green pepper, and red onion, then toss everything in a creamy Greek yogurt dressing with dill and Dijon. It has plenty going on without needing mayo or a long list of ingredients.
I’ll make this chicken pasta salad earlier in the day and let it chill until dinner. The pasta absorbs some of the dressing, the red onion softens, and everything tastes better after spending time in the fridge. It’s also super easy to pack up for the pool, a picnic, or lunch the next day, which is why I keep coming back to it.
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Recipe testing notes
For the past 10 years, I’ve tested every recipe before sharing it with you! These notes give you a peek into the process of developing this cold chicken pasta salad recipe.
The dressing was the only part that took a few tries. My first version used more Greek yogurt and not enough vinegar, so it tasted flat and got very thick after the pasta chilled. Adding more red wine vinegar and olive oil loosened it up and gave it the balance I was looking for.
I also tested mixing the red onion in with the vegetables versus whisking it directly into the dressing. I liked it much better in the dressing because the vinegar softened the sharp bite while I finished prepping everything else.
The final version tasted good right away, but after 30 minutes in the fridge, the dill came through more and the red onion tasted less sharp. That was the version that clicked for me.
This recipe was part of our monthly Cooking Challenge for January 2025!
Chicken Pasta Salad Ingredients
- Chicken: Most of my leftover chicken ends up in this pasta salad. I use whatever I have, usually grilled chicken thighs, roasted chicken, or shredded chicken. It has to be fully cooked and cooled before adding it so it doesn’t warm the dressing.
- Pasta: Fusilli and rotini are my first choices because the spirals catch the dressing, but penne or bow ties work too. Cook the pasta only until al dente, then rinse it under cold water to stop the cooking and cool it down quickly. This keeps the chicken pasta salad from turning soggy after it chills.
- Greek yogurt dressing: I use plain full-fat Greek yogurt because it keeps the dressing thick and creamy. Low-fat versions make it thinner and more watery. I whisk it with olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, dill, Italian seasoning, salt, and black pepper. When I’m out of red wine vinegar, I replace it with 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar or fresh lemon juice. And if you only have dried dill, use 2 teaspoons instead of the 2 tablespoons fresh dill.
- Vegetables: Red onion, green bell pepper, grape tomatoes, and thawed frozen corn. I dice the red onion and bell pepper small so they mix evenly through the pasta salad. Any color bell pepper works in place of green. If raw red onion is too sharp, soak the diced pieces in cold water for 10 minutes and drain before adding. Canned corn is fine too, but drain and dry it well so it does not thin the dressing.
How to Make Chicken Pasta Salad
The photos below show how to assemble the salad once the pasta is cooked. For the full ingredient list and detailed instructions, scroll down to the recipe card, or jump straight to the Chicken Pasta Salad Recipe.
1. Whisk the Greek Yogurt Dressing
Combine the Greek yogurt, olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon, red onion, dill, Italian seasoning, salt, and black pepper in a large serving bowl. Keep whisking until the oil is fully incorporated and the dressing looks smooth.
2. Add the Cooled Pasta to the Bowl
Cook the rotini in well-salted water until al dente, then drain and rinse it under cold water. Once it is no longer warm and has drained well, add it directly to the dressing.
3. Add the Chicken and Veggies
Pile in the diced chicken, tomatoes, green pepper, corn, and remaining vegetables. Keep everything bite-size so the finished salad is easier to scoop and eat.
4. Toss and Chill
Fold everything together until the dressing coats the pasta evenly and none of it sits at the bottom of the bowl. Then cover the bowl and refrigerate it so the dressing can settle into the pasta before serving.
Full Chicken Pasta Salad Recipe
Chicken Pasta Salad Recipe
Video
Ingredients
- 8 ounces fusilli or rotini pasta
- ½ cup Greek yogurt
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ¼ red onion diced
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon salt plus more for pasta water
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 cups cooked chicken diced
- 1 pint grape tomatoes halved
- 1 green bell pepper diced
- 1 cup frozen corn thawed
Instructions
- In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the pasta al dente according to package instructions. Drain, rinse and set aside.
- Meanwhile in a large serving bowl, make the dressing by whisking yogurt, oil, vinegar, mustard, onion, dill, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper until smooth and emulsified.
- Add the cooked pasta on top of the dressing and stir to combine. Top with the chicken, tomatoes, green pepper and corn. Toss until everything is combined and evenly coated in the dressing.
- Chill for 30 minutes before serving to allow the flavors to develop.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.
Recipe Variations
- Add avocado. Dice 1 ripe avocado and gently fold it in just before serving so it doesn’t get mashed during tossing.
- Make it a Greek pasta salad. Swap the corn and green pepper for kalamata olives, cucumber, and feta, and use a Greek salad dressing instead of the yogurt dressing.
- Add hard-boiled eggs. Dice 2 hard-boiled eggs and fold them in for extra protein.
Recipe Tips
- Cook the pasta in heavily salted water. This is your first and best chance to season the pasta itself. Under-seasoned pasta will taste flat even after tossing with the dressing.
- Let the pasta drain thoroughly. After rinsing it, I shake off as much water as possible and let it sit in the colander for a minute. Water clinging to the pasta can thin the dressing.
- Reserve some dressing when making it ahead. Pasta absorbs dressing as it sits. Set aside a few spoonfuls and stir them in before serving the next day.
- Taste it again after chilling. Cold food can taste less seasoned, so I usually check it before serving and add another pinch of salt or a small splash of vinegar when needed.
Serving Ideas
- Add something from the grill. If I’m serving this at a cookout, I’ll add grilled chicken tenders, lamb kofta, beef shish kabobs, or grilled shrimp skewers so there’s another protein on the table.
- Serve it with bread. I like having something simple alongside this easy chicken pasta salad, especially at a picnic or potluck. Try no-knead olive bread, homemade pita bread, or skillet dinner rolls.
- Pair it with soup. For a fuller meal, serve it with creamy asparagus soup, a vegetable soup, or tomato soup.
Troubleshooting
Something moist probably went into the bowl. The pasta has to be completely cool and well-drained, and the corn and rinsed vegetables have to be dry before mixing everything.
The pasta keeps soaking up some of the dressing as it chills. Cook it just until al dente, then rinse it right away so it still has some bite later.
Probably the olive oil was not fully emulsified into the yogurt before the pasta went in. Whisk the dressing until it looks completely smooth, then add the cooled pasta.
Comments
YUM! Made this tonight for the first time and definitely going to make it many more times this summer. I omitted the onion as I don’t like raw onion, and even without that it’s so delicious! (Not sure what all of these lacking flavour comments are about). Thank you!
Yay! I’m so happy it turned out super flavorful and delicious for you. Hope you enjoy it all summer long!
I’ve been following you on IG for a while but never made any of your recipes until now! I’ve been trying to explore recipes that I could include in my meal prep that were fresh, nutritious, and delicious. This recipe did not disappoint! It was super easy to follow and make. Someone mentioned that it was a little bland when it came to flavors and I’ll have to agree… it’s like it’s missing something so I’ll have to experiment and add in my own flavor. Other than that, I feel like I can use this recipe as a base for my pasta salads. I did use protein pasta and it tastes just as good! Thank you Yumna!
Aww, so glad you enjoyed it!! Thanks so much, Rehema!
This was easy to make, but very bland. I used the ingredients listed, plus chopped cucumber. I doubled the sauce because it didn’t seem like enough, but I didn’t use it all. (Although looking at the picture again, I used more than I should have, so the colored vegetables didn’t shine through – my fault not the recipes!)
I made it about 5 hours before we ate it, figuring it just needed time to meld the flavors, but that made little difference. Another 24 hours later, it was still bland, so before I eat the leftovers, I will definitely be adding more seasonings – maybe cayenne pepper?
Thanks for the feedback, Jenny. I think cayenne would taste great!
Easy to make with lots of fresh ingredients. The delicious dressing brings it to another level. Yum 😋 had it for lunch today.
Aww, so happy you liked it and found it easy to make! Thank you, Agnes!!
I made this recipe for a games night and it turned out great. Absolutely delicious
Love that!! So happy it was a hit!
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