Creamy Pesto Pasta Salad with Chicken, Asparagus and Cherry Tomatoes Recipe

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Most Helpful Positive Review

Jul 17, 2006

I was surprised by the overpowering smell of the vinegar in the sauce. I put the sauce on and refrigerated it for about 20 minutes in hopes it would lose some of the strong smell. It did and this dish was absolutely delicious! I added a fresh mixture of romano, parmesan and asiago and will definitely make this again! P.S. Warmed up some leftovers for dinner tonight and served hot with fresh cheeses and it was definitely 5 stars!

—NoCarnations

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Most Helpful Critical Review

Sep 08, 2010

I never give a bad review but I just did not care for this. I should have gone with my instinct which told me the buttermilk dressing would not be good. I ended up probably about doubling the pesto and only using about half the buttermilk dressing. I think this would have been better with no buttermilk dressing and just pesto. It was edible but that's b/c of my alterations.

—SAHMCOOK

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58 Ratings

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Aug 09, 2006

This is my new favorite pasta salad. I even left out the chicken because I was serving to a crowd with some vegetarians. My only suggestion is to use a 12oz box of pasta rather than 16oz. There was too much pasta and I ended up adding more of the other ingredients. The pine nuts are a must. Don't leave them out. Don't leave any of the ingredients out! This dish is excellent the way it is. Thanks for sharing!

—Donna E.

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Jul 03, 2006

I found the need to add more dressing and pesto after it had had time to marinate. I would add more asparagus and artichokes next time. Very tasty!

—Kathyf

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Jul 21, 2009

Wonderful pasta salad! I made a batch and a half of dressing. I mixed the full recipe of dressing into the salad and let it chill for several hours. From other reviews I knew it would be dry so I saved the extra dressing to stir into the salad right before serving. It's even better on days two and three.

—KristieB

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Jun 22, 2008

This is a fabulous salad! I made this for a girls weekend. I kept the pasta seperate from the other salad ingredients. I mixed the dressing in a mason jar and put it all together when I got to the cabin. It was gone in the first sitting. I swear it's the dressing...it's nice to have this over a regular lettuce salad also.

—Joyce

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Jun 11, 2009

Really yummy flavors. I did roast the asparagus instead of boiling. Keeping the dressing seperate allows you to toss together just enough and save the rest for later. Very good.

—susan

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Sep 15, 2010

Ridiculously good. I mixed everything together and let it all marinate in the fridge overnight before serving. Everyone raved.

—JESSERS11581

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Nutrition

Calories
547 kcal
27%

Carbohydrates
50.4 g
16%

Cholesterol
61 mg
20%

Fat
26.4 g
41%

Fiber
4.6 g
19%

Protein
29.3 g
59%

Sodium
2108 mg
84%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

Nutritional Information

Creamy Pesto Pasta Salad with Chicken, Asparagus and Cherry Tomatoes

Serving Size: 1/8 of a recipe
Servings Per Recipe: 8
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 547
Calories from Fat: 238

% Daily Value *
Total Fat 26.4g 41 %
Saturated Fat 6.5g 32 %
Cholesterol 61mg 20 %
Sodium 2108mg 84 %
** Potassium 475mg 13 %
Total Carbohydrates 50.4g 16 %
Dietary Fiber 4.6g 19 %
Protein 29.3g 59 %
** Sugars 3.4g
Vitamin A 16 %
Vitamin C 22 %
Calcium 14 %
Iron 43 %
** Thiamin 15 %
** Niacin 98 %
** Vitamin B6 27 %
** Magnesium 26 %
** Folate 81 %

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.
(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.