Avocado Chicken Pasta Salad

Avocado Chicken Pasta Salad combines tender cooked chicken, pasta, avocado, feta cheese, and vegetables with a zesty vinaigrette. So good!

I love one-dish recipes like this Avocado Chicken Pasta Salad – especially when it’s a complete meal and it only takes minutes to prepare!

This is a super flavorful salad because the pasta is tossed with our fantastic Favorite Vinaigrette right after cooking – and this helps the pasta absorb the delicious flavors of the dressing as it cools.

Then add cooked chicken breast meat (use poached chicken like we did, or store-bought rotisserie chicken if you prefer) and toss it all together with bite-sized chunks of red and green bell peppers, sliced red onions, chopped black olives, avocado, herbs and a sprinkle of crumbled feta cheese.  You can also drizzle on some additional vinaigrette if you’d like!

• This salad is a delicious lunch or dinner on its own – or it can be served as a side salad at a cookout or other gathering.

• From start to finish, it only takes just about 30 minutes to prepare.

• It’s a great dish to bring to potlucks and parties.

• Pasta – We used pipette-shaped pasta for this salad, but just about any sturdy pasta shape will work for this recipe.
• Cooked Chicken – Any cooked chicken can be used for this recipe such as poached, roasted, or store-bought rotisserie chicken. Canned chunks of chicken could also be used, but freshly-cooked chicken will be best.
• Avocado – Try to choose a perfectly-ripe avocado for this salad. (I know – that can be challenging!)
• Vegetables – We added diced bell pepper (both green and red), red onion, black olives, and garlic to our salad.
• Feta Cheese – Crumbled feta is added to the salad, adding a nice briny/salty flavor. You can use Cotija cheese instead for a less salty flavor.
• Vinaigrette – We used this easy, homemade vinaigrette but you can use your own recipe or a good bottled variety.

1. Mix up or open a bottle of your Favorite Vinaigrette.
2. Cook the pasta according to package instructions.
3. Drain the pasta well, then place in a mixing bowl and toss with the prepared vinaigrette. Let sit at room temperature to cool.
4. Dice the chicken, vegetables, and herbs. Gently combine with the pasta.
5. Dice the avocado and crumble the feta cheese. Add to the bowl with the pasta and vegetables and gently toss to combine.
6. Serve immediately.

• Can I make Avocado Chicken Pasta Salad ahead of time? Yes – but note that the avocado may darken a bit as it sits. For best results, make the salad up to the point that you add the chicken and vegetables to the pasta. Then, just before serving, add in the avocado and feta cheese.
• How do I store the leftovers? Store refrigerated in an air-tight container.

Interested in more chicken recipes?
Click here for our 100+ Best Chicken Recipes.