Creamy Chicken Pasta Salad with Green Olives and Raisins – this delicious, savory pasta salad has a touch of sweetness and a creamy orange dressing. Perfect for a light summer meal or side dish for a barbeque.
Savory Sweet Combination
I came across the original version of this Creamy Chicken Pasta Salad with Green Olives and Raisins in a magazine last summer. I love the savory and sweet combination of green olives and raisins, so I had to make it.
I’ve enjoyed green olives and raisins in empanadas and other Spanish and Latin American dishes. I thought the combination would be wonderful in a chicken pasta salad. That certainly is the case.
The savory green olives and the sweet raisins go so well with the chicken and the pasta. Red onions provide a bit of a kick and parsley adds freshness. Everything is tossed together in a creamy dressing made with freshly squeezed orange juice.
All together this Creamy Chicken Pasta Salad with Green Olives and Raisins is so delicious and full of flavor. This salad quickly became a family favorite. I make it frequently, especially during the warmer months.
Original Recipe Developed by Mario Batali
The original version of this recipe was developed by celebrity chef Mario Batali. When I lived in New York City, I loved eating at all of Mario Batali’s restaurants, including Esca, Lupa, Babbo and Del Posto.
I’ve always enjoyed his cooking style of simple preparations using the best possible local ingredients.
Serve as a Light Meal or Side Dish
This Creamy Chicken Pasta Salad with Green Olives and Raisins, along with a green salad, is wonderful for a light meal on a warm summer day.
This delicious pasta salad can be made ahead of time and is portable. So, it is also a great dish for picnics or side dish for summer barbeques.
Creamy Chicken Pasta Salad with Green Olives and Raisins
Ingredients
- 14.5 oz Farfalle (bow-tie) pasta
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into strips
- 1 cup sliced red onion
- 1 ½ cups green olives, pitted and halved (about 7 oz)
- ½ cup raisins
- 1 cup mayonnaise (regular or light)
- zest of one orange
- ¾ cup freshly squeezed orange juice (from about 2 medium navel oranges)
- ¼ cup fresh parsley leaves
- additional fresh parsley leaves, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Cook pasta to al dente, according to package directions, set aside to cool.
- While pasta is cooking, heat olive oil in a large sauté pan. Add chicken strips, red onion, olives and raisins. Cook, stirring occasionally for about 9 minutes or until chicken is cooked through and onions are softened. Set mixture aside to cool.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, orange zest and orange juice.
- Add cooled pasta and cooled chicken mixture to a large mixing bowl. Add in parsley leaves. Pour dressing over mixture and toss to combine.
- Serve pasta salad, top with additional fresh parsley leaves, if desired.
Recipe adapted from Hellmann’s / Mario Batali.
I was looking for green olive & raisin ideas & stumbled upon the above recipe …
which inspired the following:
ground meat .. one pound
a can ..Cream of Celery (may use chicken or mushroom)
1 cup of water
half cup each ..raisins & green olives
one roman noodles packet (I used beef but any flavor will do)
cubed cheese (optional)
In a skillet ground meat. Add can of soup & water. Bring so a soft boil. Add olives, raisins, & noodles (also add the spices that comes in the noodle packet)
optional to add garlic powder, basil flakes, parsley, cloves, pumpkin spices, onion powder, etc
Let rolling boil for about 3 – 5 minutes until noodles are cooked.
Turn eye off
add cheese let melt stir & serve
Approx 4 to 6 servings
cooked, served, & posted 11.30.2016
Yes – This salad looks great and I have to agree that the sweet and savory would make this dish amazing!! Thanks for sharing on My 2 Favorite Things on Thursday – Pinned!
[…] my Bacon Arugula Tomato and White Bean Pasta Salad, Two Bean Salad with Garlic Lemon Vinaigrette, Creamy Chicken Pasta Salad with Green Olives and Raisins and most recently my Caprese Pasta Salad. Today, I have another favorite, this delicious Creamy […]
I love the combination of the olives and raisins for your awesome salad. Hope you are having a great day and thanks so much for sharing with Full Plate Thursday.
Come Back Soon!
Miz Helen
Love the idea of olives and raisins together, sweet yet that salty/brine-y flavor. YUM
Looks Great Joy!! I bet it is a perfect meal in the warmer months!! Thanks for Linking up at My 2 Favorite Things on Thursday!! Hope to see you again this week!! Pinned!
I never thought of combing olives and raisins! Might have to give this a shot. 🙂
This looks really delicious Joy! Love the addition of olives and raisins! Pinned and shared!
I love the addition of olives and raisins. They make a very interesting, contradicting combination!
This looks really good, we love green olives.
Thanks for sharing on Friday Features this week, stop by for Wordless Wednesday as well.
Have a great weekend!
Karren
Such a unique recipe!
This pasta sounds wonderful…I am a big fan of adding raisins to dishes for the sweet and savory effect.
This is a very interesting recipe! I am intrigued by the green olive raisin combo. Brand new idea for my kitchen. Thanks!
This looks great! I’m going to substitute the chicken with some grilled halloumi cheese for a vegetarian spin. Thanks Joy!
I love the green olives you added in this pasta salad! I don’t add them to foods often enough. Perfect in this recipe!
I love the combination of flavors with the sweet raisins and the salty green olives! YUM!
This is making my mouth water – I LOVE chicken salad, and the addition of olives is wonderful!!! I was looking for something like this to make this weekend and I am def. going to try!
Interesting combination – totally loving those green olives!
I cook a lot of pasta with raisins to sweeten the recipe!
Wow this sounds great! This would be perfect at a summer party/picnic! Love the green olives & orange dressing! Nice!
This looks fantastic, awesome flavors!
LOVE the sweet and savory combination – and pasta salad is a must for all of our summer picnics
My daughter starts school this year and I am looking for great lunch recipes for her. This looks perfect (will have to take out those olives though, she would never forgive me, haha!)
You are right – I love the combination in empanadas, I don’t know why I’ve never combined them in pasta salad! Great idea!
Such a great recipe. Love the addition of raisins and olives. Would be great for a barbecue or brunch.
I love the sweet/savory component going on here! What a great new twist on pasta salad – yum!
Oh! my that looks absolutely delicious 🙂
Have a pastatastic day
I want to try this, looks so good and thanks for sharing.
Beautiful shots!
Mouth-watering!
Thanks for linking up at http://image-in-ing.blogspot.com/2015/08/say-yes-to-neigh.html
This is so interesting and different! I do know how good raisins and olive are in Spanish dishes. I must try this! Pinned!
Another lovely recipe. Thanks so much.