Broccoli and Chicken Pasta Salad

This Broccoli and Chicken Pasta Salad combines two of my favorite sides, broccoli salad and pasta salad, into one flavorful accompaniment that goes with almost any main dish.

Broccoli and Chicken Pasta Salad

During January everyone is making and sharing healthy recipes, and I’m over here still making pasta salad. New year, same me! Ha. Dieting or not, in my opinion, there’s always room for pasta salad. Especially if it’s this Broccoli and Chicken Pasta Salad.

I have posted lots of Pasta Salad recipes here on Inspired by Charm. You can find them all here.  You will find classic recipes and a wide array of creative variations. There is something to suit your every craving and event.

What I especially like about the pasta salad recipe in this post is that it pairs everything we love about broccoli salad with all the wonderfulness of pasta salad. In case you’re not familiar with it, broccoli salad is typically made of broccoli, raisins, red onion, bacon, almonds, and a sweet and sour creamy dressing. (The ingredients vary from recipe to recipe, but you get the idea.)

What Goes into This Broccoli and Chicken Pasta Salad?

This recipe includes many of the ingredients I just mentioned along with a few others. Here’s what you’ll need to make this recipe:

• pasta
• chicken
• broccoli
• raisins
• celery
• red onion
• almonds
• dressing

For the dressing, I used mayonnaise and sour cream for the base and added flavor with dijon mustard, sugar, garlic, Italian seasonings, salt, and pepper. The dressing is delicious, and it goes great with the ingredients in this pasta salad.

How Do You Make This Broccoli and Chicken Pasta Salad?

To make this recipe, first prep all of the ingredients. (The complete list of ingredients and instructions are in the printable recipe card below.) I started by cooking the chicken. I like it best when it’s roasted in the oven with a little olive oil, salt, and pepper.

While the chicken roasts, cook the pasta and dice or chop the rest of the ingredients.

Once the pasta and chicken are cooled, toss everything into a large bowl.

Then, mix the dressing ingredients in a separate bowl and whisk until smooth. It might look like a lot of dressing, but you will need it. As the pasta sits, it absorbs some of the dressing.

Once the dressing is prepared, toss it into the pasta salad ingredients. Your Broccoli and Chicken Pasta Salad is now ready to serve. If you prefer, you can also prepare the salad a day ahead. It will be equally delicious when you serve it. My only recommendation is to wait to add the almonds until right before serving. That will keep them crunchy.

Want more pasta salad recipes? Try these:

• Southwest Pasta Salad Recipe
• Classic Pasta Salad
• BLT Pasta Salad
• Ramen Noodle Pasta Salad
• California Cobb Pasta Salad
• Roasted Veggie Pasta Salad

So if you’re looking for a unique and tasty pasta salad recipe, give this Broccoli and Chicken Pasta Salad recipe a try!

Broccoli and Chicken Pasta Salad Recipe:

Broccoli and Chicken Pasta Salad

This Broccoli and Chicken Pasta Salad combines two of my favorite sides, broccoli salad and pasta salad, into one flavorful accompaniment that goes with almost any main dish. 

5 from 2 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Appetizer, Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Keyword: apple cider sidecar, broccoli, buffalo chicken, pasta salad, side dish

Prep Time: 30 minutes minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes minutes

Servings: 14

Calories: 409kcal

Ingredients

• 1 pound pasta cooked al dente according to package directions (I used mini bowties.)
• 1.5 pounds cooked chicken breast diced into small cubes (about 3 cups)
• 3 cups broccoli florets about 1/2- to 1-inch pieces
• 3/4 cup golden raisins*
• 3/4 cup sliced almonds
• 1/2 cup diced celery
• 1/4 cup diced red onion

Dressing:

• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 3/4 cup sour cream
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
• 3 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper

Instructions

• In a large bowl, toss together the pasta, diced chicken, broccoli, raisins, almonds*, celery, and red onion.
• In a small bowl, combine all of the ingredients for the dressing. Whisk until smooth.
• Pour the dressing onto the pasta salad and toss with a large spoon to evenly coat the pasta. Add more salt and pepper to taste.
• You can enjoy this salad right away or store it covered in the refrigerator until you are ready to serve.

Notes

*If you make this salad in advance, add the almonds just before serving. This will ensure they stay crunchy.

Because I love the golden raisins in this salad, I add closer to 1 cup of them. 

Nutrition

Calories: 409kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 55mg | Sodium: 349mg | Potassium: 391mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 241IU | Vitamin C: 18mg | Calcium: 69mg | Iron: 2mg