Can I use other types of pesto in the dressing?

Absolutely! This Chicken Macaroni Pasta Salad is so versatile and you can enjoy getting creative trying all different sorts of pestos in the creamy yoghurt dressing. ‘Pesto alla Genovese’ is the most famous (and the one I have used here), but others, like ‘Pesto Rosso’ (with sun-dried tomatoes and/or smoky roasted red peppers), ‘Pesto alla Trapanese’ (with tomatoes and almonds) and ‘Pesto Calabrese’ (with chilli flakes and ricotta instead of Parmesan) are just as delicious and would work really well too. I can’t wait to work my way through this list .

What can I serve with this Chicken Macaroni Pasta Salad?

This is one of those salads which can be served as a main course or as a side dish at a family gathering alongside lots of other dishes. It would be perfect at a BBQ or summer lunch alongside salads like my Jennifer Aniston Salad or meat like Peri Peri Chicken or zingy Grilled Chimichurri Chicken .

Chicken Macaroni Pasta Salad

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Take your pasta salad to the next level with this delicious Chicken Macaroni Pasta Salad recipe. Imagine macaroni pasta with juicy tomatoes, smoky pancetta and sliced chicken in the most delicious pesto-yoghurt dressing. Yum!

Author: Margie Nomura
Prep Time: 20 minutes, plus chilling
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes + chilling
Yield: Serves 4 as a main, 8 as a side 1x
Category: Pasta/Salad
Method: Stove Top
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Scale

For the pasta:

500g dried macaroni
400g cherry tomatoes, cut into quarters
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for frying
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
200g pancetta cubes
400g cooked chicken, chopped
2 spring onions, finely chopped
2 large handfuls of rocket

For the pesto dressing:

50g pine nuts, toasted
50g basil, handful of leaves reserved
150ml olive oil
1 garlic clove (optional)
1 lemon, zest and juice
30g Parmesan
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tbsp full-fat Greek yoghurt

To serve:

1 x ball mozzarella, drained and torn

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Instructions

Bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil. Add the pasta and cook according to packet instructions, until al dente.
Meanwhile, place the chopped tomatoes in the bottom of a large salad bowl. Add the garlic and olive oil, then season generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Stir well and leave to marinate.
Once the pasta is cooked, drain well and add to the tomatoes whilst still hot. Mix well.
Next, drizzle a little oil in a medium-sized non-stick frying pan set over a medium-high heat and add the pancetta. Cook for a couple of minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden and crispy.
Fry the pancetta cubes in a frying pan with 1/2 tbsp oil until golden and crispy.
Add the pancetta to the pasta with the chicken, spring onions and the rocket. Toss gently.
Meanwhile for the dressing: blitz together the pine nuts, basil, olive oil, garlic, lemon and Parmesan to form a pesto. Season to taste. Spoon into a bowl and stir in the yoghurt.
Pour the pesto dressing over the pasta and toss well to completely coat. Add the torn mozzarella and enjoy!

Notes

Make it vegetarian friendly: simply omit the chicken (or use a chicken substitute - crispy tofu would also work well) and pancetta and make your pesto using a vegetarian-friendly Parmesan to make this Macaroni Pasta Salad suitable for vegetarians.

Make it vegan friendly: you can also make a vegan version of this Macaroni Pasta Salad by omitting the chicken and pancetta (or using plant-based chicken and bacon alternatives), using a vegan Parmesan-style cheese in your pesto, opting for a thick plant-based yoghurt in the dressing, then choosing a vegan-friendly mozzarella.

Find it online: https://desertislanddishes.co/chicken-macaroni-pasta-salad/