4 Ingredient Pesto Chicken Salad
With juicy chicken and smooth, garlicy pesto sauce, this 4 ingredient Pesto Chicken Salad recipe is a low-carb, high protein power meal that is light and refreshing, and will keep you full for hours.
Why I love this easy pesto chicken salad recipe
They sell this salad at my gym and I used to pay $10 for a tiny scoop of it. It was light, yet filling, and it was dang good, so I paid it. After a hard workout one day, I decided to try my hand at making it at home myself, and I never looked back. Now that $10 gives me a giant bowl of it that I could eat off of for days.
With only four simple ingredients, this salad comes together super quickly. It also makes a great meal prep for the week, if you like to plan and prep your meals ahead of time. I personally like to spend some time on the weekends to prep easy lunches for the week. This saves me time and brain power during the busy work week.
I take a couple of shortcuts and use store-bought pesto and already cooked chicken. Grab a rotisserie chicken or grilled chicken from your grocery store deli counter, to help this salad come together in minutes.
Since its served cold, it’s and refreshing for the warm spring and summer months. And since its packed with flavor, its one of my favorite dishes.
Ingredient List
- chicken breasts, grilled
- grape tomatoes
- pesto sauce
- parmesan cheese, shredded
How to make Pesto Chicken Salad
Slice 1lb of fully cooked chicken into bite-sized pieces. You can shred a rotisserie chicken or use leftover chicken as well. You should have approx 2-3 cups of chicken.
Wash 1.5 cups of cherry tomatoes, and cut in half lengthwise.
In a large bowl, combine the chicken and tomatoes with 1/2 cup of pesto sauce and 1/2 cup of shredded cheese. Toss until everything is well combined and evenly coated in the sauce.
Scoop into individual bowls to serve. Garnish with some additional shredded parm (optional) and serve with crusty bread and butter.
How to make homemade pesto sauce
I usually buy pesto sauce at the grocery store and save myself some time. But in the late summer months, when my basil plants are taking over my garden, I’ll make and exception, and make my own.
If you have the time, making pesto is really very easy. Here’s how I do it:
Combine 1 cup fresh basil leaves, 2 cloves of garlic and 1/2 cup of pine nut in a food processor. Pulse until finely chopped. With the machine running, drizzle 1/2 cup of olive oil, and a little lemon juice. Add 1/2 cup of shredded parmesan and a pinch of salt. Continue pulsing until smooth. (Makes approx 1 cup of sauce)
Use immediately or store in a sealed container in refrigerator for a few days.
Ways to serve Pesto Chicken Salad
I love how versatile this recipe is. Most of the time I just eat it on its own with a fork, but it’s a delicious meal served a variety of different ways….
Serve as a wrap: Grab a whole wheat tortilla and spread a scoop of the chicken salad in the center of tortilla. Add in some shredded lettuce and roll it up nice and tight. Slice in half serve with a cup of soup or a pasta salad.
Serve as a sandwich: I prefer to use a soft Kaiser or hoagie roll for a chicken salad sandwich. Add arugula for a nice, peppery crunch and some red onion slices. Serve alongside potato chips and a fresh fruit salad.
Serve as a salad: Lightly toss in Italian dressing (I like a mixture of lettuces like chopped romaine, spring mix and spinach). Add a scoop of pesto chicken salad on top of the greens. Sprinkle with additional shredded Parmesan cheese, and some peanuts for an added crunch. Serve with a piece of crusty bread and butter. Party Host Tip: If I’m hosting a bridal shower or a luncheon, I like to serve a fun, chicken salad trio. Lightly toss mixed salad greens in an olive oil based dressing of your choice, and serve as scoop of Pesto Chicken Salad, Dill Chicken Salad and BLT Chicken Salad. Its always a hit.
Serve as a low carb lettuce wrap: Grab 3 large lettuce leaves (iceberg works great), and scoop the chicken salad evenly into each of the leaves. Top chicken with thinly sliced red pepper and top with chopped green onion. Roll lettuce up like you would a soft shell taco. Secure with a toothpick to help keep lettuce wraps together. Serve with a side of cottage cheese and a pickle spear to round out the low carb option.
Storage and Leftovers
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days.
I make this salad a lot as a lunch meal prep, and I like these glass containers.
FAQ’s
The thing that usually makes chicken salad high and fat and calories is the mayonnaise. Since there’s no mayonnaise in this recipe, it’s relatively low in calories at only 366 per serving. Since the pesto is made from pine nuts, it has a high protein content. That paired with the skinless chicken breasts and the Parmesan cheese, give this dish a whopping 42 grams of protein and only 5 grams of carbohydrates per serving.
To add even more protein, create a creamy basil pesto sauce by adding plain Greek yogurt (I like this one) to the pesto. In a small bowl, combine 1/4 cup of Greek yogurt and 1/2 cup of pesto. Stir until completely mixed, then add to the large bowl with the rest of the ingredients
Yes! Making homemade pesto sauce is quite easy actually if you have the extra time. See recipe above.
Fresh pesto is great on pasta as well. Simply toss al dente pasta with pesto and sun-dried tomatoes for another light dinner option.
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4 Ingredient Pesto Chicken Salad
Equipment
- 1 wooden spoon
Ingredients
- 1 lb grilled chicken breasts
- 1½ cup cherry tomatoes
- ½ cup parmesan cheese
- ½ cup pesto
Instructions
- Slice chicken into nice, bite size chunks and add to a large mixing bowl. You should have approx 2-3 cups of chicken.
- Wash 1½ cups of cherry tomatoes and cut in half lengthwise. Add to bowl with chicken.
- Pour ½ cup of pesto sauce and ½ cup of shredded parmesan cheese into the bowl and toss until everything is well combined and evenly coated in the sauce.
- Scoop into individual bowls to serve. Garnish with some additional shredded parm (optional) and serve with crusty bread and butter.
