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High-Protein Italian Pasta Salad

High-protein Italian pasta salad with chickpea/lentil pasta, grilled chicken, mozzarella, and chickpeas tossed in Italian dressing. Cook-and-rinse pasta for a firm bite, then chill for meal-prep friendly flavor.
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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 Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Protein pasta salad base
  • 1 lb protein pasta
  • 2 cup grilled chicken breast
  • 8 oz mozzarella cheese
  • 1 can (15 oz) chickpeas drained and rinsed
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
  • 1 cup cucumber diced
  • 0.5 cup Italian dressing
  • 0.25 cup Parmesan cheese grated
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning
  • 0.25 salt to taste
  • 0.25 pepper to taste

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Cook and cool the pasta
  1. Cook the protein pasta according to package directions, then drain and rinse with cold water to stop cooking and keep the pasta firm.
  2. Spread the rinsed pasta on a sheet pan to cool slightly while you prep the remaining ingredients.
Toss the salad
  1. Combine the pasta, diced grilled chicken, cubed mozzarella, drained chickpeas, halved cherry tomatoes, and diced cucumber in a large bowl.
  2. Add the Italian dressing, grated Parmesan, and Italian seasoning, then toss until everything is evenly coated.
  3. Season with salt and pepper to taste, tossing again so the seasoning is distributed throughout the salad.
Chill and serve
  1. Refrigerate the salad for at least 1 hour before serving so the flavors meld and the dressing lightly absorbs into the pasta.
  2. Taste and adjust the dressing if needed, then serve chilled.

Notes

For best texture, rinse the pasta very thoroughly with cold water so it doesn’t clump and stays springy. Refrigerate in a sealed container for up to 3 days; freezing is not recommended. To lower sodium, choose reduced-sodium Italian dressing and season with a light hand on salt.