I’m pretty good about meal prep and menu planning during the week, but weekends are another story — especially in the summer when we’re out and about enjoying the nice weather.

When leave in the morning for a hike or day exploring, I don’t even know if we’ll be home for dinner or not (or how much energy I’ll have left). A lot of times, we’ll end up stopping at the butcher on the way home where we’ll grab something to throw on the grill and a prepared salad to serve on the side.

A few weeks ago we bypassed the local butcher and ended up at the Fresh Market instead. We grabbed a package of bratwurst, a container of mixed berries, and a tiny package of honey and lemon pasta salad.

Everything was delicious, but I knew right away that I needed to recreate that pasta salad myself. It was so good! It was full of crunchy summer vegetables and I love the addition of sunflower seeds and the tangy lemon vinaigrette dressing. However, their version was a little too sweet and it had some ingredients that I wasn’t crazy about (corn syrup and mandarin oranges, I’m looking at you.)

How to make simple lemon pasta salad with chicken

I pared the salad ingredients way back, keeping things simple with just bell peppers, cucumbers, and sunflower seeds. Then I added grilled chicken for a protein boost that transformed a simple side dish into a full meal I could keep in the fridge for lunches all week.

This lemon chicken pasta salad recipe is so easy to adapt and make your own! If you like, add halved cherry tomatoes or steamed broccoli.

You can also try making it with rotisserie chicken instead of grilled chicken breasts. Or even replace the chicken with grilled shrimp or canned tuna. It won’t be pasta salad with chicken then, but it will still be delicious!

Lemon Vinaigrette

For me, the highlight of this pasta salad is the lemon vinaigrette salad dressing. It’s light and tangy with just a hint of sweetness from the honey. I based this dressing on this cilantro-lime dressing, which is one of my absolute favorites.

To make it, whisk together the juice from two lemons, olive oil, and a teaspoon of honey. The honey will help emulsify the dressing, giving it body in addition to adding a touch of sweetness.

Looking for more simple summer salads? Try one of these:

• Lobster Farro Salad with Citrus Vinaigrette
• Simple Cucumber Salad
• 5-Minute Summer Corn Salad with Curry and Lime
• Carrot, Quinoa, and Pistachio Salad

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Lemon Pasta Salad with Chicken

Course Healthy Weeknight Dinner Recipes

Cuisine American

Keyword lemon chicken pasta salad, lemon pasta salad, pasta salad with chicken

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 8 minutes minutes

Total Time 18 minutes minutes

Servings 8 servings

Calories 314kcal

Author Lauren Keating

Ingredients

• 1 box 16 ounces farfalle pasta
• 1 pound chicken breast tenders
• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 1 green bell pepper diced
• 1 red bell pepper diced
• 1 seedless cucumber diced
• 4 green onions sliced
• ¼ cup sunflower seed kernels
• 2 lemons juiced
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 1 teaspoon honey
• Sea salt

Instructions

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to the package directions until it’s al dente, usually about 8-10 minutes.
• Drain the pasta and rinse it with cold water.
• While the pasta cooks, prepare the chicken: Brush the chicken with olive oil and season with Italian seasoning. Grill over medium-high heat for 8-10 minutes or until cooked through.
• Remove the chicken from the grill and let rest for 5 minutes. Cut into bite-sized pieces.
• Add the cooked pasta to a large mixing bowl. Add the chicken, peppers, cucumber, green onion, and sunflower seeds.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, remaining olive oil, and honey. Season to taste with sea salt.
• Pour the dressing over the pasta salad. Mix well until everything is combined. This salad can be served immediately but is even better when refrigerated for at least 1 hour.

Nutrition

Serving: 1/8 recipe | Calories: 314kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 16g | Cholesterol: 26mg | Sodium: 770mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g

Do you ever see a picture of something that looks good, only to realize it’s totally not what you thought it was? It happens to me all the time.

The other day I was flipping through a magazine and stopped on what I thought looked like a good cajun chicken pasta – except that it turned out that that isn’t what it was at all. It was casarecca pasta with roast artichokes and olives. Whoops!

I couldn’t get the idea of cajun chicken pasta out of my head, and the more I thought about it, the more adding artichokes seemed like a brilliant idea. Instead of making a spicy tomato sauce, I kept things light and fresh with a simple lemony sauce and plenty of artichokes and spinach.

The lighter flavors really compliment the cajun spiced chicken well. And that’s how this one pan cajun chicken and penne was born.

How to make One Pan Cajun Chicken Pasta

I didn’t feel like doing dishes or waiting for a giant pot of water to boil, so instead of boiling the pasta in one pot and cooking the chicken and vegetables in a second pot, I developed this recipe so everything can be cooked together. It’s fast, easy, and there’s less to clean up – what more can you want?

First, grab a big pan with a lid. You’ll want one that can hold the chicken, pasta, and about 4 cups of liquid. I used my deep 12-inch covered skillet, but you can also use a Dutch oven or stock pot. It’s definitely better to err on the side of slightly too big instead of too small.

I really like the way chicken comes out when I use this method. Start by seasoning it and searing it in hot oil. After it’s browned, you’ll add the pasta and plenty of flavorful liquid. The chicken poaches while the pasta cooks in the same pot. For this one pan cajun chicken pasta, I use a combination of chicken broth, lemon juice, and water. The cajun seasoning on the chicken infuses the liquid with even more flavor. Some of the liquid absorbs into the pasta and the rest cooks down into a nice sauce.

Depending on the brand of pasta you use, it will take between 18 and 22 minutes to cook through. Start checking it after 18 minutes and stir in the vegetables and lemon zest as soon as it’s al dente. It only takes a few minutes for the artichokes to warm though and the spinach to wilt, so the pasta shouldn’t overcook.

Season the pasta to taste with salt and pepper (a little sea salt really opens the flavors up) and serve it with lemon wedges and shaved parmesan.

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One Pan Cajun Chicken Pasta with Artichokes and Lemon

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Author Lauren Keating

Equipment

• Dreamfields Pasta Healthy Carb Living, Penne Rigate, 13.25-Ounce Boxes (Pack of 6)

Ingredients

• 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast
• 2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning
• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 2 cups chicken broth2 cups water
• 1 lemon zested and juiced
• 1 box 13.25 ounces penne pasta
• 1 can artichokes in water quartered
• 5 ounces baby spinach
• salt and pepper
• 8 lemon wedges
• Parmesan cheese for serving (optional)

Instructions

• Cut the chicken into bite sized pieces and toss in the seasoning.
• Heat the oil in a large, deep pan set over high heat. Add the chicken and cook 5-7 minutes, or until browned.
• Reduce the heat to low and add the pasta, broth, water, and lemon juice. Cover and simmer 18-22 minutes, or until the pasta is al dente.
• Uncover and stir in the artichokes, spinach, and lemon zest. Cook until the spinach is wilted. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve with lemon wedges and top with parmesan, if desired.

It’s no secret that I love fennel, but I’ve been absolutely obsessed with the thought of making caramelized fennel ever since I first read about it over on The Tipsy Baker’s blog months ago. I requested a copy of Ad Hoc at Home from the library and patiently waited for what seemed like forever to get the recipe. And then I had no idea what to make with it. I mean, I’m not exactly a meat and potatoes kind of girl. I don’t do side dishes. And as presented in the book, caramelized fennel was most definitely a side dish. But then I had an idea: pasta. When I’m short on recipe inspiration I always turn to pasta, throwing in a combination of whatever looks good at the grocery store and whatever I have in the fridge. Caramelized fennel seemed like it would be a great jumping-off point for a summery vegetable pasta. And it was.

In addition to the fennel, I used a combination of eggplant, summer squash, red onions, and peas. I tasted the vegetables on their own and they were so delicate and fresh that it seemed like a shame to cove them up with a heavy sauce so I decided not to, and instead dressed the pasta with a little bit of ricotta and a touch of pesto (I had originally planned to use garlic and olive oil). It was perfect! I really liked the creaminess that the ricotta added — when you stir it into the hot pasta it melts and creates a light coating that reminds me a little of mac and cheese. The pesto perked the dish up without taking it over; you could tell it was there, but it certainly isn’t a “pesto” dish by any means. Really it’s just… good. Good when you first make it. Good the next day. Good hot. Good cold. I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of this one!

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Orichette with Caramelized Fennel and Summer Vegetables
The trick to this dish is getting the pasta and vegetables in balance — you should have roughly the same volume of vegetables as cooked pasta. You’ll also want to cut the vegetables into pieces that are roughly the same size as the individual pieces of pasta.

•  
• 8 oz dry orichette (or other small pasta such as mini shells)
• 2 Tbs olive oil
• 1 bulb fennel, chopped
• 1/4 cup red onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 summer squash, chopped
• 1/2 small eggplant (about the same size as the squash), chopped
• 1 generous pinch crushed red pepper
• 1/2 cup fresh peas
• 1/4 cup reduced fat ricotta
• 2 Tbs prepared pesto sauce
• 2 Tbs grated parmesan cheese
• salt and pepper

Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Boil the pasta according to the directions on the package. Drain.

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large skillet set over medium-high heat. Add fennel in one layer and cook without stirring for 5 minutes — if it starts sizzling and making lots of noise, you’re doing it right. Give it a good stir and coo another 3 minutes — it will have caramelized and turned light golden brown. Add the onion and garlic to the pan and cook for 3 minutes to allow it to begin to soften. Sir in the squash, eggplant, and crushed red pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, for about 5 minutes or until the squash is cooked through.

Bring a small pot of water to a boil and add the peas. Cook for 5 minutes, or until they turn bright green and are no longer crunchy.

Return the pasta to the large pot. Add the ricotta and pesto and stir vigorously to combine and break up the ricotta — it should form a thin coat on the pasta. Stir in the fennel and squash mixture, peas, and parmesan cheese. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Serves 4. Approx. 362 calories, 12 grams fat, 4 grams fiber, 12 grams protein

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Have leftover fennel, squash, and eggplant? The same vegetable mixture is also great in mini-frittatas! Just prepare as described above, then combine with 4 beaten eggs, 1/4 cup skim milk, 1 tsp pesto and 2 ounces grated gruyere. Spoon the mixture into a mini muffin tin and bake at 375 for 10 minutes. You’ll get 20 mini frittatas. I recently brought these to a potluck brunch with some other local food bloggers and they were fabulous! Healthy, delicious and super easy to make.

Here are a few photos from the brunch: