Chicken Pasta Salad with Ramp Vinaigrette

5 from 29 votes

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This robustly flavored hearty pasta salad with ramps and chicken is a total Spring treat when those wild scallions are in season.

Chicken pasta salad with ramp vinaigrette on colorful plate.

If you are a ramp fan and lucky enough to get your hands on a nice big bunch, this is the recipe for you! The pasta salad with ramps and chicken is the epitome of spring eating to me, light but substantial, and fresh tasting. And, of course, it’s a great showcase for ramps, the wild scallions that only make an appearance in the Spring in certain parts of the country. Some of them are used raw in the dressing, and some of them are sautéed and added to the pasta salad — a double punch of ramps!

The simple green-flecked ramp vinaigrette is a perky, vibrant dressing for this medley of pasta, chicken, and olives. It’s an all-in-one meal that is perfect for picnics, potlucks, and toting to the office for a special lunch. You might also want to dig into How to Cook with Ramps for more info about these coveted members of the allium (onion) family. And when you’re done with this salad, try Simple Ramp Pasta and Spring Ramp and Pea Risotto.

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Yellow serving dish with ramp vinaigrette chicken pasta salad on table.

A Perfect Potluck Pasta Salad

I made a double batch of this for an office potluck lunch, and it got rave reviews. There was a bit leftover, and three people ran back to their desks to get plastic containers to divvy it up. Everyone has things that make them feel great — people running for plastic containers to take home my leftovers are high up on my list.

This is a pasta salad with a substantial ratio of chicken to pasta, which means more protein and more interest. And also, more pasta salad! Poached chicken is easy to make, but you can use grilled chicken breasts or roasted chicken. Just cube or shred and simply cooked chicken, and also, don’t be shy about using a rotisserie chicken here.

Ingredients

Salty olives and garlicky ramps make a seriously flavored pasta dressing. A powerhouse pasta salad, for sure.

  • Olive oil – Used to sauté the ramps and in the homemade vinaigrette.
  • Ramps – You will use both the leaves and bulbs. Don’t have ramps? You can use scallions instead.
  • Pasta – I like rigatoni or another chunky pasta.
  • White wine vinegar
  • Honey – A touch of sweetness to balance with the bite of the ramps.
  • Dijon mustard – Adds a little sweet.
  • Poached chicken breasts – Shredded or cubed. You can use other cooked chicken if you prefer, like grilled or baked.
  • Picholine or other green olives – Yes, you can leave these out if you’re not an olive fan, but I think they make the dish.

How to Make Chicken Pasta Salad with Ramp Vinaigrette

  1. Sauté half the ramps until tender.
  2. Cook the pasta: Follow the package directions for timing, then drain and rinse under cold water.
  3. Make the vinaigrette: In a food processor, puree the rest of the ramps, vinegar, olive oil, honey, Dijon, salt, and pepper.
  4. Make the salad: In a large bowl, combine the cooked ramps, cooked and cooled pasta, vinaigrette, chicken cubes, and olives, and toss very well to combine thoroughly.
  5. Serve: This salad can be served cool or at room temperature.
Chicken Pasta Salad with Ramp Vinaigrette in yellow serving dish.

Storage

This ramp and chicken pasta salad will keep in the refrigerator in a sealed, airtight container for up to 5 days.

More Ramp Recipes to Play With

Pasta Salad with Chicken, Green Olives, & Ramp Vinaigrette in colorful bowls and plates.

More Pasta Salad Recipes

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5 from 29 votes

Chicken Pasta Salad with Ramp Vinaigrette

This robustly flavored hearty pasta salad with ramps and chicken is a total Spring treat when those wild scallions are in season.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 12 People
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Ingredients 

Instructions 

  • In a medium-sized skillet, heat the oil over medium heat and sauté a little more than half of the ramps for about 15 minutes until very tender.
  • Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to package directions, drain and rinse under cool water.
  • While the pasta and ramps are cooking, in a food processor or blender, make the vinaigrette. Combine the rest of the ramps, vinegar, olive oil, honey, Dijon, salt, and pepper. Puree.
  • In a large bowl, combine the cooked ramps, cooked and cooled pasta, vinaigrette, chicken cubes, and olives, and toss very well to combine thoroughly. I find it best to use hands for this to really get the sautéed ramps well distributed, but if that doesn't appeal, of course, you can use a spoon. Serve cool or at room temperature.

Notes

  • Make sure to clean the ramps thoroughly — they can be very dirty, and the grit really isn’t pleasant in any dish.
  • Don’t have ramps? You can use scallions, and if they are nice fat scallions, definitely use about half.

Nutrition

Calories: 439kcal, Carbohydrates: 36g, Protein: 25g, Fat: 21g, Saturated Fat: 4g, Cholesterol: 60mg, Sodium: 445mg, Potassium: 297mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 4g, Vitamin A: 765IU, Vitamin C: 5mg, Calcium: 47mg, Iron: 2mg
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About Katie Workman

Katie Workman is a cook, a writer, a mother of two, an activist in hunger issues, and an enthusiastic advocate for family meals, which is the inspiration behind her two beloved cookbooks, Dinner Solved! and The Mom 100 Cookbook.

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