We couldn’t be more pleased with our chicken and kale pasta salad recipe. We love pasta salad, but always feel so guilty after consuming the carbs! We invented this recipe so you can have your carbs and eat them too!
This dish is loaded with juicy grilled chicken, hearty penne pasta, oodles of fresh kale and creamy ranch dressing tossed with yummy bits of Parmesan cheese—do we have your attention now? This concoction is everything we love about a green salad and pasta salad combined into a single dish.
This recipe is a great way to utilize leftover chicken breasts or rotisserie chicken from the supermarket. You don’t need a ton of dressing—you just need enough to wet the ingredients, not drown them. You can also add additional seasonings like parsley, chives and dill to boost flavor.
Chicken and Kale Pasta Salad Recipe
what you'll need
- 1/2 lb fusilli pasta
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 cup buttermilk ranch dressing
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley chopped
- 1/4 cup chives minced
- 1 Tbsp dill
- 6 cups kale finely chopped
- 1 pint grape tomatoes
- 1/2 cup cheddar cheese shredded
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 2 cups chicken diced, grilled
- salt to taste
let's do it
- Bring a large pot of water to boil. Add salt and pasta then stir to prevent sticking. Return water to a boil then reduce heat to medium-low. Cook pasta according to directions on package until tender but still slightly firm. Drain then immediately rinse under cold water to cool pasta and stop cooking. Set aside to drain completely.
- Using a very large bowl, add ranch dressing, parsley, thyme and dill then stir to combine. Add chopped kale, grape tomatoes, cheese, black pepper and well-drained pasta then stir until ingredients are well-coated.
- Add diced chicken then toss to distribute chicken evenly through salad. Season to taste with salt and additional black pepper if desired. Serve immediately or cover and chill until ready to serve.
