Chicken Pesto Pasta Salad

Chicken Pesto Pasta Salad with Pickled Grapes is a quick and easy dish that combines tender chicken, juicy grapes, vibrant pesto, and fresh spinach. This light yet satisfying salad is perfect for a quick weeknight dinner, meal prep, or a crowd-pleasing potluck dish. With simple ingredients and minimal prep, you’ll love how this flavourful pasta salad comes together in just 35 minutes!

Ingredients You’ll Need for Pesto Pasta Salad

Inspired by an episode of Queer Eye, Antoni’s easy pesto pasta salad features a mix of fresh and vibrant ingredients that make it irresistible:

• Chicken: Boneless chicken breast, seared to perfection. For convenience, use rotisserie chicken.
• Pasta: Short pasta like penne or spirals works best for capturing all that delicious pesto.
• Grapes: Red seedless grapes are pickled in red wine vinegar for a sweet-tangy twist. Their juicy pop perfectly balances the savoury pesto and chicken, while their vibrant color makes the dish look fresh and inviting!
• Pesto: Homemade basil pesto with pine nuts, parmesan, garlic, and olive oil (or use store-bought).
• Greens: Baby spinach or young arugula adds freshness.
• Optional Garnish: Toasted pine nuts and extra parmesan for a finishing touch.

Pro Tip: Want extra crunch and color? Toss in a handful of chopped radicchio!

The slightly bitter bite of radicchio adds a whole new layer of flavour to this pesto pasta salad. Plus, its vibrant purple hue makes the dish pop—perfect for serving up something that looks as good as it tastes!

How to Make Pasta Salad with Pesto, Chicken & Grapes

Making this pesto pasta salad with chicken and grapes is super simple—and oh-so-worth it. Here’s how to bring it all together:

1. Pickle the Grapes: Halve those juicy red grapes and let them soak in red wine vinegar for 10-15 minutes. It adds a tangy kick that makes this salad so special.
2. Whip Up the Pesto: Toss pine nuts, parmesan, garlic, fresh basil, olive oil, salt, and pepper into a food processor and blend until smooth. It’s bright, herby goodness!
3. Cook the Chicken: Season chicken with salt and pepper, then sear in a hot skillet until it’s golden brown and cooked through. Let it cool slightly, then chop into bite-sized pieces.
4. Boil the Pasta: Cook your pasta until perfectly al dente. Rinse under cold water to stop the cooking, and toss with that delicious pesto. Add a splash of reserved pasta water if it needs loosening up.
5. Bring It All Together: Mix the pasta with the tangy grapes, juicy chicken, and fresh spinach. Finish with toasted pine nuts and a sprinkle of parmesan. Dive in!

For all the details and exact measurements, head to the printable recipe card below!

5 Reasons You’ll Love This Chicken Pesto Pasta Salad

1. Fresh & Flavourful: The tangy pickled grapes add a unique twist to this classic pesto pasta salad.
2. Perfect for Meal Prep: This salad keeps well in the fridge, making it ideal for lunches or quick dinners.
3. Family-Friendly: Both kids and adults will enjoy this satisfying yet light dish.
4. Versatile: Swap the chicken for chickpeas for a vegetarian version or use store-bought pesto to save time.
5. Great for Entertaining: A beautiful, colourful dish that’s perfect for potlucks, picnics, or casual dinners.

If you love this chicken pesto pasta salad and want more ways to enjoy red grapes in a salad, you’ve got to try:

• Grilled Steak Salad with Balsamic Glaze: A vibrant mix of savoury steak, cherry tomatoes, avocado and sweet grapes.
• Grain Salad with Feta and Grapes: Simple, delicious, and perfect for meal prep.
• Salad with Grapes, Walnuts & Blue Cheese Dressing: Fresh, crunchy, and full of bold flavours!

5 from 1 vote

Print

Chicken Pesto Pasta Salad with Grapes

Chicken Pesto Pasta Salad with Pickled Red Grapes is a fresh and flavourful dish with tender grilled chicken, sweet-tangy grapes, vibrant homemade pesto, and crisp baby spinach. Perfect for easy dinners, meal prep, or sharing!

Course Main Dish

Category American, Mediterranean

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 35 minutes

Servings 4

Calories 560 kcal

Autor Elle

Ingredients

For the pasta salad:

• 3-4 handfuls red seedless grapes, halved (250-300 g)
• 125 ml red wine vinegar, to pickle grapes
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 450 g chicken breast filets, pounded to an even thickness
• 350 g short pasta of choice (e.g. penne, spirals)
• Couple handfuls of baby spinach (or young arugula)

For the pesto (alternatively use store-bought):

• 30 g pine nuts, lightly toasted
• 20 g freshly grated parmesan cheese
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 1 1/2 bunches fresh basil (ca. 40 g)
• 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• ground pepper, to taste

To garnish (optional):

• 1 tablespoon pine nuts, lightly toasted
• Freshly grated parmesan

Method

1. Pickle the grapes: Place the halved grapes in a small bowl with red wine vinegar and set aside for 10-15 minutes.

2. Prepare the pesto: Using a small food processor or mortar and pestle, pulse together the pine nuts, parmesan, garlic, basil, olive oil, salt, and pepper until smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

3. Sear the chicken: Pat chicken dry with paper towel. Season both sides generously with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook for 4-6 minutes per side, until golden brown and cooked through. Transfer to a cutting board and let cool slightly before cutting into bite-sized pieces.

4. Cook the pasta: In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the pasta until al dente (according to package instructions). Reserve 125 ml of the cooking water. Drain and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process. Transfer to a large bowl.

5. Combine: Add the pesto to the bowl with the pasta and toss until well combined. If needed, add a little pasta cooking water (1 tablespoon at a time) to thin the pesto.

6. Add remaining ingredients: Drain the grapes and add them along with the chopped chicken and spinach (or arugula) to the pasta. Toss to incorporate.

7. Serve: Garnish with toasted pine nuts and freshly grated parmesan cheese. Serve and enjoy!

Notes

• For extra color and crunch, add a handful of chopped radicchio leaves.
• Shredded or chopped rotisserie chicken can be used instead of grilled chicken for convenience.

For a relaxing atmosphere in the kitchen I recommend my personal Elle Republic: Chilled Out Kitchen Tunes Playlist on Spotify.

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