Servings: 6-8 (12 cups total) 1x
Scale
Ingredients
For the Dressing:
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- Zest and juice of 1 large lemon (1 teaspoon zest and ~3 tablespoons juice)
- 3 garlic cloves, minced (2-3 teaspoons)
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
For the Salad:
- 8 oz dry fusilli corti bucati pasta or other pasta shape (I use ½ package of this pasta)
- 6 cups (7 ounces) chopped romaine lettuce or finely chopped kale*
- 3 cups (16 ounces) cooked chopped chicken
- 2 cups halved cherry tomatoes
- 1 avocado, peeled, pitted, and diced (optional)*
- ⅓ cup shaved Parmesan cheese
- Optional toppings: roasted chickpeas, toasted pine nuts, raw pumpkin seeds, or croutons
Instructions
- Prepare the dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, grated Parmesan, lemon zest, lemon juice, garlic, Dijon, and black pepper, and Worcestershire sauce. The dressing can be made up to 5 days ahead and stored in the refrigerator.
- Prepare the pasta according to package directions, then drain. The pasta can be prepped up to 2 days in advance and refrigerated until ready to assemble the salad.
- In a large bowl, combine the cooked pasta, romaine lettuce, cooked chicken, cherry tomatoes, and avocado, if using.
- Pour the dressing over top and toss gently until everything is coated in the dressing.
- Before serving, sprinkle shaved Parmesan over the salad. Garnish with any optional toppings, as desired.
Notes
* If prepping this salad to package for meal prep lunches, I suggest omitting the avocado OR adding it later, as it’s the one ingredient that doesn’t store well for more than 2 days in the fridge. Also, I suggest replacing the chopped romaine with 6 cups of finely chopped raw kale.
For gluten free, use a gluten-free pasta. If topping with croutons, use gluten-free croutons.
Nutrition Information
- Serving Size: 2 cups
- Calories: 419
- Fat: 20 g
- (Sat Fat: 4 g)
- Sodium: 540 mg
- Carbohydrate: 34 g
- (Fiber: 4 g
- Sugar: 2 g)
- Protein: 26 g
- Cholesterol: 56 mg