Chicken Pesto Pasta Salad is a delicious dish packed with the fresh flavor of basil and pine nuts pesto sauce. The chicken is made with an air-fryer and is ready just in 30 minutes.
Growing up in Europe, Italian food always had a big impact on my life. Those delicious carbs… I know…carbs…I hate it and love it at the same time. But in my opinion, Italians know how to make the most delicious carbs. When we consume them, interestingly we forget about carbs.
Pizza, Pasta, Risotto, Focaccia, Italian Cheese, Lasagna, Arancini, and so on… I don’t even have to explain myself what I referred to about mentioning “carbs”. But, come on, some days I just don’t care, I want my favorite carbs. Today I have here some delicious Chicken Pesto Pasta Salad which I also love.
This time I made the chicken with the air-fryer. And I decided to show you the steps for that too.
What is Chicken Pesto Pasta Salad?
Pesto Pasta is an Italian dish and was created in Genoa, the capital city of Liguria, Italy. Which makes the original name “Pesto alla Genovese” (in English: Genoese Pesto) sense. Traditionally consists of crushed garlic, pine nuts, salt, basil leaves, and hard cheese such as Parmigiano-Reggiano (also known as Parmesan cheese), all blended with olive oil.
Pesto is commonly used on pasta, and traditionally potatoes and string beans can be added and boiled in the dish. I added the optional broccoli this time. But you can pick and choose whatever vegetable you wish to add. It’s a salad after all.
Outside of Italy, pesto is sometimes served with chicken, sliced beef, tomatoes, sliced boiled potatoes, peas, and broccoli.
Variations of the pesto sauce
The original pesto sauce is the Pesto Alla Genovese which is made with pine nuts, garlic, Genovese basil, salt, extra virgin olive oil, and grated cheese like Parmigiano-Reggiano or Grana Padano.
A slightly different Pistou, exists in Provence. Generally made with olive oil, basil, and garlic only.
Outside of Italy, sometimes, almonds, cashew, hazelnut, pecan, pistachio, walnut, or even peanuts are used instead of pine nuts.
Pesto Alla Siciliana or red pesto (pesto rosso). The sauce is from Sicily and similar to Pesto Alla Genovese but with the addition of tomato and almonds instead of pine nuts, and much less basil. I have the Almond Pesto Recipe which I love and often make my pesto sauce with it.
Pesto alla calabrese is a sauce from Calabria. This pesto is distinctively spicy due to the (grilled) bell peppers, and black pepper ingredients.
The chicken is made with an Air-Fryer and makes a beautiful dish together.
The ingredients you’ll need
- Organic Gemelli Pasta – or any type of pasta that you have in your pantry
- Pesto Sauce – both store-bought or homemade creamy pesto sauce is perfect for this recipe
- Parmigiano Romano – aka Parmesan Cheese
- olive oil – the best is the extra virgin olive oil
For the Air Fryer Chicken
- Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts
- Paprika Powder
- Garlic Powder
- Salt
- Black Pepper
- Italian Seasoning
- Olive Oil
How to Make the Chicken Pesto Pasta Salad
- Add the pasta to boiling water, and cook until is well cooked. Drain the pasta.
- If you add any type of vegetables, boil them now. Meanwhile, boil the broccoli for 2-3 mins or until bright green and tender. Drain well. Is optional to add broccoli.
- Add the pasta and pesto sauce to a heated pan and toss to combine.
For Air-Fryer Chicken Skinless Breasts
- Place the chicken in the air-fryer basket.
- Rub olive oil on the chicken.
- In a small bowl combine the garlic powder, paprika powder, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Rub on each side of the chicken.
- Cook in the air fryer at 375 degrees for 10 minutes. Flip the chicken to the other side. Cook for another 10 minutes or until is soft and tender.
Serve immediately with Shredded Parmigiano Romano for garnish.
How to Store
Do you wonder how to store the Chicken Pesto Pasta Salad leftovers? Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days. You could leave it more, but personally, I wouldn’t eat food that is more than 4 – 5 days. I like fresh food better. Drizzle a little olive oil over the top and seal closed to keep the pesto green.
You can also freeze the pesto sauce in a plastic bag or container for up to 6 months.
More Delicious Pasta Dishes
- Pesto Veggie Pasta Recipe – a vegetarian version of Pesto Pasta
- Vegan Gigi Hadid Pasta – vegan version of Spicy Vodka Pasta
- Homemade Pasta Recipe – every pasta dish is better with homemade pasta
Chicken Pesto Pasta Salad
Ingredients
For the Pesto Pasta
- 2½ cups Organic Gemelli Pasta (other pasta types are perfect too)
- 1 cup Pesto Sauce
- ½ cup Parmigiano Romano
- ⅕ cup olive oil
For the Air-fryer Chicken
- 2 pieces Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts
- 1 tsp Paprika Powder
- 1 tsp Garlic Powder
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1 tsp Black Pepper
- 1 tsp Italian Seasoning
- 1 tsp Olive Oil
Instructions
- Add the pasta to boiling water, and cook until is well cooked. Drain the pasta.
- If you add any type of vegetables, boil them now. Meanwhile, boil the broccoli for 2-3 mins or until bright green and tender. Drain well. Is optional to add broccoli.
- Add the pasta and pesto sauce to a heated pan and toss to combine.
For Air-Fryer Chicken Skinless Breasts
- Place the chicken in the air-fryer basket.
- Rub olive oil on the chicken.
- In a small bowl combine the garlic powder, paprika powder, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Rub on each side of the chicken.
- Cook in the air fryer at 375 degrees for 10 minutes. Flip the chicken to the other side. Cook for another 10 minutes or until is soft and tender.
- Serve immediately with Shredded Parmigiano Romano for garnish.
Sharina
You never fail to amaze me with your recipes Greta! This chicken pesto pasta salad makes a great meal. I added some chili flakes to add heat and it turned out great and delectable. Can’t get enough of it!
Journa Liz Ramirez
My new favorite comfort food! The chicken was tenderly cooked in the air fryer, and the pasta and the sauce are a winner, this is a total package!
Erin
My oven just broke, so I was glad to find your recipe! I made this in the air fryer and love the result. It was so quick and easy! I’m going to have my husband make it next time. 🙂 Thanks!
Roxie
Love this pesto chicken salad. This is the 1st time I add meat on my pesto salad and it was good. Thanks.
Elena
Such a great quick weeknight dinner. Easy to make, kids friendly and delicious!
Kristen Wood
This was so filling and flavorful! The seasoning was just right. Will certainly make again!
Amanda Dixon
This pasta salad is absolutely delicious! The pesto gave it such a nice flavor, and the chicken turned out perfectly cooked. Can’t wait to make it again!
Ksenia
The easy preparation of this chicken in the air fryer made putting the whole salad together an easy task! I enjoyed it for dinner and just wanted to eat more and more of it. The basil flavor was amazing.
Genevieve
Easy, tasty, and filling – exactly what we were looking for! Loved how the chicken turned out with these directions.