Pasta Salad Cranberry Vinaigrette (Print View)

A fresh mix of pasta, chicken, vegetables dressed in tangy cranberry vinaigrette for a light, tasty meal.

# Components:

→ Pasta & Protein

01 - 10 oz rotini pasta
02 - 2 cups cooked chicken breast, diced or shredded (approximately 8.8 oz)

→ Vegetables

03 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
04 - 1 cup cucumber, diced
05 - ½ cup red bell pepper, diced
06 - ¼ cup red onion, finely chopped
07 - 2 cups baby spinach, roughly chopped

→ Cranberry Vinaigrette

08 - ⅓ cup leftover cranberry sauce
09 - 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
10 - 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
11 - 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup (optional)
12 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
13 - ½ teaspoon salt
14 - ¼ teaspoon black pepper

→ Garnishes (optional)

15 - ¼ cup toasted pecans or walnuts, chopped
16 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

# Directions:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add rotini and cook according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and rinse under cold water to cool.
02 - In a large salad bowl, mix cooled pasta with cooked chicken, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red bell pepper, red onion, and baby spinach.
03 - Whisk cranberry sauce, olive oil, apple cider vinegar, honey (if using), Dijon mustard, salt, and black pepper in a separate bowl or jar until smooth and emulsified.
04 - Pour the cranberry vinaigrette over the salad ingredients and toss gently to coat evenly.
05 - Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Optionally, sprinkle with toasted nuts and fresh parsley before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It transforms pantry staples into something that tastes like you spent hours planning it.
  • The cranberry vinaigrette is tart enough to make your taste buds wake up, but balanced enough to eat a second helping.
  • It's the kind of salad that actually fills you up, thanks to the chicken and pasta working together.
02 -
  • Don't dress the salad more than an hour before serving, or the pasta will absorb too much liquid and become heavy—unless you're making it a day ahead and keeping the vinaigrette separate, which actually works beautifully.
  • The temperature matters; everything should be at room temperature or cool, not warm and not cold from the refrigerator, so the flavors feel awake.
03 -
  • Toast your own nuts at home in a dry skillet for about five minutes—the difference between toasted and raw nuts is like the difference between waking up and being truly awake.
  • If your cranberry sauce is very thick or chunky, whisk it with a little warm water first so the vinaigrette can come together smoothly without lumps.
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