Grilled Chicken and Veggie Chimichurri Pasta Salad
Beautiful chimichurri pasta salad filled with juicy grilled chicken, a rainbow of tender veggies, and a sprinkle of tangy goat cheese. Use up plenty of fresh summer herbs for the homemade chimichurri dressing, and enjoy hot or cold for the perfect late-summer meal that's great for sharing.
Servings 6 servings
Calories 710cal
Ingredients
- Chicken
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 garlic clove, grated
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- Chimichurri and pasta
- ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup red wine vinegar
- ¾ cup chopped fresh cilantro
- ½ cup chopped fresh parsley
- 1 jalapeño, deseeded and roughly chopped
- 2 garlic cloves
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 1 pound ditalini or another short pasta (such as orzo)*
- Vegetables
- 3 large ears of corn
- 1 large red onion, peeled and cut into ½" thick rounds
- 1 large zucchini, ends removed and cut vertically in ½-inch slices
- 1 large red bell pepper, halved
- 1 orange bell pepper, halved
- 2 to 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- Mix-ins
- 4 ounces goat cheese, crumbled**
Instructions
- Marinate the chicken: In a medium bowl, add the olive oil, red wine vinegar, garlic, salt, pepper and oregano. Whisk together until well combined. Add the chicken to a large ziplock bag and then add the marinade and zip shut. Lay the bag flat in the fridge and marinate the chicken for at least 30 minutes or up to 4 hours. While the chicken marinates, prepare the other components of the meal.
- Make the chimichurri: In a high-powdered blender or food processor, add the olive oil, red wine vinegar, cilantro, parsley, jalapeno, garlic, oregano and salt. Blend or process on high until well combined, about 15 seconds. Set aside.
- Cook the pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta until al dente, according to the directions on the package. Drain the pasta and add to a large bowl. Pour the chimichurri all over the pasta and toss well to combine.
- Preheat your grill to medium-high heat, about 400 degrees F. Scrape off any leftover bits from the last time you grilled. Remove the chicken from the fridge and allow it to come to room temperature while the grill preheats.
- Prepare vegetables: Drizzle the vegetables with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Use clean hands to toss veggies with oil so that they are well coated.
- Cook the chicken and vegetables: Add the chicken in a single layer on one side of the grill, allowing excess marinade to drip off. Add the vegetables in a single layer on the other side of the grill, placing at least an inch apart. Grill with the lid closed, until a meat thermometer inserted into the center reads 165 degrees F, flipping halfway through, about 6 to 8 minutes per side. The vegetables will grill for about the same amount of time per side as well. Transfer the chicken and vegetables to a platter and allow the chicken to rest for a few minutes to retain the juiciness of the chicken.
- Chop the chicken and veggies: Give the vegetables a rough chop so that they are all roughly the same size and cut the corn off the cob. Next, chop/cube the chicken into bite-sized pieces. Add the vegetables and chicken to the bowl of pasta. Stir to combine.
- Top with goat cheese and season with additional kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste. Feel free to add more fresh herbs too, if you’d like a more herby pasta salad like I do. Gently toss to combine.
- Serve: Enjoy warm or cold. This makes an excellent salad that will last about 5 days in the fridge.
Notes
*To make gluten-free: use your favorite gluten-free short pasta.
**To make dairy-free: omit the goat cheese.
See the full post for tips, tricks, and easy ways to customize this pasta salad!
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving (based on 6) | Calories: 710cal | Carbohydrates: 67g | Protein: 32g | Fat: 35g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 6g