Chicken Salad with Pesto & Mozzarella

This chicken salad with pesto and mozzarella is one of those recipes that looks and tastes fancy but takes almost no effort to put together.

It’s creamy, fresh, and full of flavor thanks to the basil pesto and little mozzarella pearls mixed right in.

You don’t even need to cook anything from scratch if you already have leftover chicken on hand. Just dice it up and toss everything together.

It works great on bread, in a wrap, or just on its own next to a simple side salad. Really versatile stuff.

If you’re looking for a quick lunch or a light dinner that actually satisfies, this one is a solid pick.

What Makes This Recipe So Good

Bursting with Fresh Flavor – The combo of basil pesto and lemon juice creates a bright and herby dressing that makes every bite taste amazing.

Creamy Mozzarella in Every Bite – Those soft mozzarella pearls add a rich and creamy texture that pairs perfectly with the tender chicken.

Ready in Minutes – Since you use pre-cooked chicken you can toss this whole salad together in about 10 minutes flat.

Ingredients

• 3 cups Cooked Chicken Breast, diced
• 1/3 cup Basil Pesto
• 3 tbsp Mayonnaise
• 1 tbsp Fresh Lemon Juice
• 1 cup Fresh Mozzarella Pearls, drained
• 1/2 cup Cherry Tomatoes, quartered
• 1/4 cup Pine Nuts, lightly toasted
• 2 tbsp Fresh Basil, thinly sliced
• 1/4 tsp Salt
• 1/4 tsp Black Pepper

Directions

Step 1

In a large bowl, stir together the basil pesto, mayonnaise, and fresh lemon juice until the dressing is smooth and evenly combined.

Step 2

Season with salt and black pepper. Stir once more.

Step 3

Add the diced cooked chicken breast to the bowl. Toss until every piece of chicken is fully coated in the pesto dressing.

Step 4

Gently fold in the fresh mozzarella pearls and quartered cherry tomatoes. Be careful not to crush the mozzarella or tomatoes as you mix.

Step 5

Scatter the toasted pine nuts and sliced fresh basil over the top and fold them through the salad one final time.

Step 6

Serve right away at room temperature for the best flavor, or cover and refrigerate for up to a few hours. This salad is perfect scooped onto crusty Italian bread, in a wrap, or served alongside a simple green salad.

Pro Tips

Toast the Pine Nuts in a Dry Pan

Put the pine nuts in a small skillet over medium-low heat with no oil. Shake the pan every 15-20 seconds so they move around and brown evenly on all sides.

Pine nuts go from golden to burned really fast – we’re talking 30 seconds. Once they start turning light gold and you can smell them, pull them off the heat right away and transfer them to a plate.

If you leave them in the hot pan, they’ll keep cooking from the residual heat and can easily over-brown. Moving them to a cool plate stops the cooking immediately.

Pat the Mozzarella Pearls Dry

Even after you drain the mozzarella pearls from the container, they still have a lot of moisture sitting on the surface. That extra liquid will water down your pesto dressing and make the whole salad soupy.

Spread them out on a paper towel and gently pat them dry before folding them into the salad. It only takes a minute and it makes a real difference in how thick and flavorful the dressing stays on the chicken.

Use the Right Chicken for This

Poached or gently baked chicken breast works best here because it stays tender and moist. If your chicken is dry or overcooked, no amount of pesto dressing will fix the texture.

If you’re cooking the chicken fresh, bake it at 400°F until it hits 165°F internally, then let it rest for 10 minutes before dicing. Resting lets the juices settle back in so the pieces stay juicy once they’re cut.

Rotisserie chicken is another great shortcut that works really well in this salad. Just make sure to remove the skin before dicing.

Related Recipes

• High Protein Chicken Caesar Wrap
• High Protein Chicken Lettuce Wraps
• High Protein Greek Chicken Bowl
• Instant Pot Creamy Tuscan Chicken
• High Protein Garlic Butter Chicken Bites

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use store-bought rotisserie chicken for this salad?

Absolutely, and it is honestly one of the easiest shortcuts you can take. Just pull the meat off the bone, dice it up, and it works perfectly in this recipe.

Rotisserie chicken adds a little extra flavor too since it is already well-seasoned. One medium rotisserie chicken should give you roughly the 3 cups of diced chicken you need.