Healthy Ingredient Recipes Healthy Meat & Poultry Recipes Healthy Chicken Recipes Healthy Chicken Salad Recipes Chicken Caprese Pasta Salad Bowls 5.0 (2) 2 Reviews Pasta salad is a classic summer side dish, but adding protein (leftover grilled chicken is perfect here) and extra greens makes it a super-satisfying lunch. We use baby spinach, but arugula or baby kale works too. Top with a bright and tangy basil vinaigrette just before serving. The great news is that these easy meal-prep lunches take just 20 minutes to prepare—that's 4 days of lunches in less than 30 minutes. By Carolyn Hodges, M.S., RDN Carolyn Hodges, M.S., RDN Instagram Website Carolyn Hodges, M.S., RDN is a culinary dietitian and creator of "The Dinner Shift," a food-rule free website dedicated to helping families get dinner on the table with weeknight-friendly recipes, simple meal planning and meal prep basics. When she's not creating content for her own site, grocery shopping or washing a million dishes, Carolyn teaches higher ed nutrition and develops and photographs recipes and nutrition-related content for clients. She calls Cleveland, Ohio home along with her in-house recipe critics, her husband, Kyle, and their two boys, Caleb and Ezra. EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines Updated on July 9, 2019 Print Rate It Share Share Tweet Pin Email Prep Time: 15 mins Additional Time: 5 mins Total Time: 20 mins Servings: 4 Yield: 4 containers Nutrition Profile: Bone Health Egg-Free Healthy Aging Healthy Immunity Healthy Pregnancy High-Protein Low Added Sugars Low Sodium Low-Calorie Nut-Free Soy-Free Jump to Nutrition Facts Ingredients 8 ounces whole-grain rotini 1 (5 ounce) package baby spinach (about 6 cups) 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved 2 cups chopped cooked chicken breast 1 cup pearl-size or mini mozzarella balls (about 4 ounces) 1/2 cup Basil Vinaigrette (see Associated Recipes) Directions Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook rotini according to package directions. Drain and rinse under cold running water, then drain again and set aside. Divide spinach among 4 single-serving lidded containers. Top each with 1 cup of the cooked pasta, 1/2 cup tomatoes, 1/2 cup chicken and one-fourth of the mozzarella balls. Divide vinaigrette among 4 small lidded containers and refrigerate. Seal the salad containers and refrigerate for up to 4 days. Dress with the vinaigrette just before serving. To make ahead Refrigerate for up to 4 days. Associated Recipe Basil Vinaigrette Rate it Print Nutrition Facts (per serving) 514 Calories 19g Fat 49g Carbs 36g Protein Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label Nutrition Facts Servings Per Recipe 4 Serving Size 1 container Calories 514 % Daily Value * Total Carbohydrate 49g 18% Dietary Fiber 7g 24% Total Sugars 6g Added Sugars 2g 4% Protein 36g 71% Total Fat 19g 24% Saturated Fat 5g 26% Cholesterol 80mg 27% Vitamin A 4388IU 88% Vitamin C 21mg 23% Folate 86mcg 22% Sodium 299mg 13% Calcium 234mg 18% Iron 4mg 22% Magnesium 60mg 14% Potassium 802mg 17% Nutrition information is calculated by a registered dietitian using an ingredient database but should be considered an estimate. * Daily Values (DVs) are the recommended amounts of nutrients to consume each day. Percent Daily Value (%DV) found on nutrition labels tells you how much a serving of a particular food or recipe contributes to each of those total recommended amounts. Per the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the daily value is based on a standard 2,000 calorie diet. Depending on your calorie needs or if you have a health condition, you may need more or less of particular nutrients. (For example, it’s recommended that people following a heart-healthy diet eat less sodium on a daily basis compared to those following a standard diet.) (-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a special diet for medical reasons, be sure to consult with your primary care provider or a registered dietitian to better understand your personal nutrition needs. Powered by the ESHA Research Database © 2018, ESHA Research, Inc. All Rights Reserved