Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 16 ounces pasta (cooked)
- 1 cup pesto sauce (homemade or store-bought)
- 2 cups fresh spinach (packed)
- 1 pound grilled chicken (diced)
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes (halved)
- 8 ounces mozzarella balls (halved)
- ¼ cup basil leaves (torn)
Instructions
- Cook the pasta: Boil pasta in heavily salted water, cooking it for about 1 minute less than the package instructions to achieve perfect al dente texture.
- Toss pasta with pesto: Drain the pasta and immediately transfer it to a bowl with pesto sauce. Do not rinse the pasta to keep the starch intact, which helps the sauce cling better. Gently toss until all noodles are coated.
- Add spinach: Mix in fresh spinach and stir gently until the spinach wilts slightly from the pasta’s residual heat.
- Combine remaining ingredients: Add diced grilled chicken, halved cherry tomatoes, mozzarella balls, and torn basil leaves. Gently stir everything together to combine.
- Serve: Enjoy the salad warm immediately or chill it in the refrigerator and serve cold later.
Notes
- Use pasta shapes like rotini or penne that hold the sauce well.
- For vegetarian option, omit the grilled chicken or replace with grilled tofu.
- If making pesto from scratch, blend fresh basil, pine nuts, Parmesan, garlic, olive oil, salt, and pepper.
- This salad can be prepared ahead and stored in the fridge for up to 2 days.
- Use fresh mozzarella balls for best texture and flavor.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
