Cherry Chicken Pasta Salad – 7 Ingredients
You’ll want to bring this Cherry Chicken Pasta Salad to all of your get-togethers, it’s a crowd-pleaser! Cherry Chicken Pasta Salad is a delicious mix of chewy pasta, tender chicken (try sous vide shredded chicken), dried cherries, and a poppyseed dressing. It’s a perfect side dish, easy lunch, or summer dinner.
And if you love pasta salads, be sure to try my tortellini pasta salad or chicken pasta salad with peanut sauce.
I am a self-proclaimed pasta salad enthusiast and give 100% of the credit to my mom! I grew up eating pasta salads all summer long, and I happen to think my mom is the QUEEN of pasta salads. Let me give you three reasons that pasta salads are so great:
- You can eat them cold (perfect for steamy nights!)
- You can make them ahead (perfect for busy nights!)
- They combine everything you need for a meal (perfect for dinner in general!)
This Cherry Chicken Pasta Salad fits all of the above pasta salad requirements! It’s a copycat from Lunds & Byerlys (a Twin Cities grocery store chain) and it’s super delicious. When I can make it myself I do, and when I can’t, I pick some up from the store!
The Cherry Chicken Pasta Salad is sweet and creamy, filling with both pasta and chicken, crunchy from the fresh celery, and tart from the dried cherries. The flavors just work.
How do we make Cherry Chicken Pasta Salad?
It’s so simple. Cook the pasta and chicken (it was actually part of a cook once, eat twice meal from my meal plan or try sous vide shredded chicken), mix up the poppyseed dressing, and toss everything together!
Be sure to let me know if you try out this Cherry Chicken Pasta Salad! Snap a pic, share it on instagram, and tag me so I can check out your creation! (@myeverydaytable or #myeverydaytable)
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Cherry Chicken Pasta Salad
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stove
- Cuisine: American
Description
You’ll want to bring this Cherry Chicken Pasta Salad to all of your get-togethers, it’s a crowd-pleaser! Cherry Chicken Pasta Salad is a delicious mix of pasta, chicken, dried cherries, and a poppyseed dressing. It’s a perfect side dish, easy lunch, or summer dinner.
Ingredients
- 16 oz. gemelli pasta (or fusilli)
- 1 1/2 cups chopped celery (about 6 stalks)
- 1/2 cup chopped white onion (about 1/2 onion)
- 2 cups chopped leftover chicken (about 4 thighs)
- 3/4 cup mayonnaise
- 3/4 cup poppyseed dressing
- 8 oz. dried cherries (about 1 1/2 cups)
- salt and pepper to taste
- 5 oz. salad greens
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to package instructions. Rinse with cold water and set aside.
- Prepare ingredients:
Chop celery.
Chop onions. (Try to get them small, without stressing.)
Chop chicken into small, bite-sized pieces. - Mix together mayonnaise and poppyseed dressing.
- Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and toss together.
- Refrigerate if you can for at least an hour. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve over salad greens.
Notes
- Briannas poppyseed dressing is my favorite!
- Get your kids involved! They can: stir together salad dressing, mix all ingredients in a large bowl, dump ingredients into the bowl.
- It’s ideal to make this recipe ahead of time.
- There will be plenty of leftovers, serve them over greens for an easy lunch.
Originally published May 2010.
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i cannot even tell you how much i miss lunds/byerlys. their deli is my fave. and i LOVE the simplicity of this dish – the perfect salad for a summer picnic!
can you tell i am ready for some HOT weather?
hope you are well dear – love ya!
I miss shopping at Byerly’s.
Now, you are only adding to my ‘to try’ list. BTW, I made your rhubarb strawberry crostini and avocado lime coleslaw over the weekend. Blog post coming soon – they were great!
I can say first hand that this re-worked cherry chicken salad was delicious!
You’re torturing me! Chicken salad might be the only meat food that I really miss . . . add cherries, and that’s practically irresistable!
we sell something similar in the deli case at my lovely little coffee shop 🙂 i havent tried and dont think i will as yours looks WAY better!
This sounds like such a great alternative. I love dried cherries in all my foods!
Mmmmm this looks great! I love the cranberries in there!
I’m definitely going to try this with some chicken leftovers. I’m always adding cranberries to my chicken/tuna salads. The cherries are a nice change.
I LOVE Lunds/Byerlys. And their restaurant!! And now that I’m eating meat again….! 😉
I need someone to show me how to cook chicken though… I’ve obviously never had to before, and my first attempt the other day was a major FAIL.
Delish- I love the addition of dried cherries!
This looks like a perfect lunch or dinner. It looks so filling with a perfect amount of healthy pasta to fill you up!
Deli salads are the best! I always try to make them myself, but for some reason they just never quite taste as great (without the fat). I love cherries!!
I agree with Mary Beth! It was very good!
I went on a blind date to the Twin Cities area from California and was greeted with a picnic that included this pasta salad. I was hooked!! On the salad, not so much on the date.
I tracked down the recipe from the store and am frequently requested to make it for potlucks at the office. I’ve tried other dressings, but Brianna’s can not be topped for this dish.
Thank you for sharing
R~
I made this quick pasta salad with 2 packages Tofurky brand seitan, as I am a vegetarian, and it was a HUGE hit with my partner and my 2 kids (4 years, 21 months.) This pasta salad will be on regular summer rotation at our house for certain!
Oooooh, I want to try that!