Description
Bright, creamy, and full of texture, this Cranberry Pasta Salad is the perfect dish for quick lunches, easy dinners, or festive gatherings. With sweet cranberries, crunchy celery, tender chicken, and a creamy poppy seed dressing, this easy recipe is a flavorful addition to your collection of healthy snack options, quick meal ideas, and crowd-pleasing food ideas. It’s a go-to for potlucks, weekday meal prep, or holiday sides.
Ingredients
2 cups cooked farfalle pasta
2 cups cooked chicken breast, shredded or cubed
3/4 cup dried cranberries
1 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped toasted pecans
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup chopped green onions
1/2 cup poppy seed dressing (store-bought or homemade)
Instructions
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook farfalle pasta until al dente. Drain and rinse under cold water.
2. Prepare chicken by cooking and chopping, or use pre-cooked chicken breast.
3. Dice celery, chop green onions and parsley. Toast pecans and roughly chop.
4. If making your own dressing: mix 1/2 cup Greek yogurt, 1 tbsp honey, 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar, 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard, and 1 tsp poppy seeds.
5. In a large bowl, combine pasta, chicken, cranberries, celery, green onions, parsley, and pecans.
6. Pour the dressing over and gently toss to coat.
7. Cover and refrigerate for 30–60 minutes before serving.
Notes
Chill the salad for at least 30 minutes for best flavor.
Add dressing just before serving to avoid sogginess if prepping in advance.
For a vegetarian version, replace chicken with chickpeas.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 410
- Sugar: 10g
- Sodium: 280mg
- Fat: 21g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 17g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 34g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 24g
- Cholesterol: 50mg
Keywords: easy recipe, cranberry pasta salad, quick lunch, dinner ideas, pasta salad, potluck dish