There is a distinct, incomparable magic to a summer kitchen when the ingredients are sourced entirely from your own backyard. This time of year, my home garden is bursting at the seams, rewarding a season of weeding and watering with an abundance of vibrant jalapeños, plump cherry tomatoes, and handfuls of fragrant, sweet basil.
When the heat outside rises, the last thing anyone wants to do is spend hours over a hot stove. Instead, summer dining should be easy, bright, and deeply satisfying. Whether you are packing a cooler for a late-summer beach getaway, gathering around a shaded picnic table by the pool, or hosting a neighborhood backyard cookout, having a dependable, crowd-pleasing dish in your culinary arsenal is essential.
This week, I am sharing a simple staple that has become a definitive favorite in my household: Grilled Chicken Garden Rotini Pasta Salad. Built around just six primary ingredients, it relies on the beautiful contrast between warm, smoky grilled chicken and the crisp, clean pop of raw backyard produce. Tossed with a lively, zesty Italian dressing and finished with a rich snowfall of freshly grated Parmesan, it is quite literally summer in a bowl.
The beauty of this dish lies entirely in its simplicity and the quality of its components. If you do not have a garden patch of your own, a quick trip to the local Statesboro farmers market will yield the exact same seasonal treasures. Look for cherry tomatoes that feel heavy for their size and snap tightly on the vine, and look for basil leaves that are deeply green and intensely aromatic.
To prepare it, we begin with a classic garden rotini—the tri-color twists not only catch the dressing beautifully in their ridges, but they also bring an extra splash of celebration to the plate.
Paired with perfectly seasoned, juicy grilled chicken breasts, the salad transitions effortlessly from a simple side dish into a standalone, hearty weekday lunch or supper.
Keep your kitchen cool, lean into the seasonal abundance surrounding us, and enjoy these slower-paced days with the people who matter most. Happy cooking, friends!
Rebekah Faulk Lingenfelser is a private chef, speaker, culinary TV personality, and author. Featured in Forbes, on ABC and Food Network, she is a Georgia Southern University alumna and an honors graduate of the Savannah Culinary Institute. Visit RebekahLingenfelser.com, like Some Kinda Good on Facebook or follow @SKGFoodBlog on Instagram and YouTube.
Grilled Chicken Garden Rotini Salad
Ingredients
- 1 box Garden Rotini pasta, cooked al dente, drained, and cooled
- 3 - 4 Boneless, skinless chicken breasts, seasoned, grilled, and diced
- 1 cup Homegrown cherry tomatoes, halved
- ¼ cup Fresh garden basil, chiffonaded or torn
- Fresh Parmesan cheese, shredded or grated
- 1 small bottle of Zesty Italian dressing (your preferred brand)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to season well
Directions
- Prep the Base: In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooled garden rotini pasta and the diced, grilled chicken.
- Toss in the Freshness: Fold in a generous handful of your halved homegrown cherry tomatoes and the fresh garden basil.
- Dress and Season: Pour the zesty Italian dressing over the mixture, beginning with approximately half a bottle. Toss thoroughly to combine, then season generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper to elevate and awaken all the fresh flavors. Add more dressing to taste if desired.
- The Final Touch: Top the salad with an abundance of fresh Parmesan cheese and give it one final, gentle toss.
- Chill & Serve: Cover and place in the refrigerator for at least one hour prior to serving. This allows the pasta to absorb the dressing and gives those bright, summer flavors the perfect opportunity to marry beautifully together.