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High-Protein Italian Pasta Salad

High-protein Italian pasta salad with protein-packed pasta, grilled chicken, chickpeas, and mozzarella tossed in zesty Italian dressing. Chilled for at least 1 hour so the flavors meld and the vegetables stay crisp.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
chilling 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Italian-American
Calories: 520
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

protein pasta
  • 1 lb protein pasta (chickpea or lentil pasta)
grilled chicken breast
  • 2 cup grilled chicken breast, diced
mozzarella cheese
  • 8 oz mozzarella cheese, cubed
chickpeas
  • 1 can (15 oz) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
cherry tomatoes
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
cucumber
  • 1 cup cucumber, diced
italian dressing
  • 0.5 cup Italian dressing
parmesan cheese
  • 0.25 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
italian seasoning
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning
salt and pepper
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Method
 

Cook and cool the pasta
  1. Cook protein pasta according to package directions until tender. Drain and rinse with cold water to stop cooking and cool quickly, then drain well.
Build the salad
  1. Combine pasta, grilled chicken breast, mozzarella, chickpeas, cherry tomatoes, and cucumber in a large bowl. Toss gently so the chicken and cheese are evenly distributed.
  2. Add Italian dressing, Parmesan, and Italian seasoning to the bowl. Toss again until everything is well coated and the pasta looks glossy.
  3. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Toss one more time and check that the vegetables are evenly dressed.
Chill and serve
  1. Refrigerate the pasta salad for at least 1 hour before serving. Cover to keep it from drying out and let the flavors meld.
  2. Adjust dressing if needed and serve chilled. Taste after chilling and add a small splash of Italian dressing if it looks dry.

Notes

For best texture, rinse the pasta with cold water right after draining so it stays firm in the salad. Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days; the pasta may absorb some dressing, so loosen with a little extra Italian dressing before serving. Freezing isn’t recommended for this salad due to cheese and vegetable texture. For a lighter option, use low-fat mozzarella and reduce the Italian dressing slightly.