Chicken Cashew Pasta Salad
This chicken cashew pasta salad combines tender chicken, crunchy cashews, and sweet pineapple in a creamy dressing. It's the perfect mix of flavors for quick pasta salad recipes!
Ingredients
- 1 package (16 ounces) spiral or rotini pasta
- 4 cups cubed cooked chicken
- 1 can (20 ounces) pineapple tidbits drained
- 1-1/2 cups sliced celery
- 3/4 cup thinly sliced green onions
- 1 cup seedless red grapes
- 1 cup seedless green grapes
- 1 package (5 ounces) dried cranberries
- 1 cup ranch salad dressing
- 3/4 cup mayonnaise
- 2 cups salted cashews
Instructions
- Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Once cooked, drain and rinse under cold water to stop cooking and cool the pasta quickly.
- In a large bowl, combine cubed chicken, pineapple tidbits, sliced celery, green onions, grapes, and dried cranberries.
- Add the cooled pasta to the bowl with the chicken mixture. Toss gently to combine without breaking the pasta.
- In a small bowl, whisk together ranch salad dressing and mayonnaise until smooth and creamy.
- Pour the dressing over the salad and toss until all ingredients are well coated.
- Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to allow the flavors to meld.
- Just before serving, stir in the salted cashews for a crunchy finish.
Notes
Prep ahead by cooking the pasta and chopping the ingredients the day before. Stir in cashews just before serving to keep them crunchy. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.