Name: Poppy Seed Pasta Salad with Chicken, Grapes, Almonds & more!
Prep time: 240 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 252 min
Ingredients: CREAMY POPPY SEED DRESSING:; 2/3 cup mayonnaise; ½ cup half-and-half; ¼ cup granulated sugar; 2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar; 1 Tablespoon grated white onion; 1 Tablespoon poppy seeds; PASTA SALAD:; 1 lb. bow tie pasta; 2 cups chopped cooked chicken; 1 cup sliced green grapes; 6 oz. package Craisins; 1/3 cup slivered almonds (toasted); 6 green onions (green and white parts sliced thin)

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Poppy Seed Pasta Salad is an easy, make-ahead dinner that’s perfect for hot summer nights when you don’t feel like heating up the kitchen. It’s also great for packing up for picnics, barbecues, potlucks, and beach days!

Poppy Seed Pasta Salad with chicken , craisins, and almond.

My Poppy Seed Pasta Salad recipe is loaded with chicken, grapes, Craisins, green onions, and toasted almonds.

I love making pasta salads during the summer; they’re cool and refreshing, two absolute musts when you’re in the thick of summer. This would be a great recipe for luncheons or showers because it’s easy to make, makes a lot of servings, and it comes together quickly.

My favorite part of this pasta salad is the Creamy Poppy Seed Dressing. My dressing is different from other recipes out there because it has my secret ingredient in it.

Close up picture of poppy seed pasta salad.

What’s the Creamy Poppy Seed Dressing Secret Ingredient?

Grated onion! I only use a tablespoon of grated onion, but it packs an amazing flavor punch. Trust me, 1 tablespoon is all that you need for the best ever Creamy Poppy Seed Dressing!

Why is grated onion different from a chopped onion?

Compared to chopping the onion, grating the onion damages more onions cells, thus intensifying the flavor. It’s the same concept with garlic– the more damaged cells, the more intense flavor.

More Summer Recipes with Poppy Seeds:

Close up picture of bowl tie pasta with almonds, poppy seed dressing, dried cranberries, chicken, and green onions.

Cook’s Note – Poppy Seed Pasta Salad:

For a lower fat version of the creamy poppy seed dressing, use plain Greek yogurt instead of mayonnaise. If you do so, you will need to increase the sugar to cut through the tang of the yogurt. I suggest starting with 3 Tablespoons of sugar, and adjusting for taste from there.
Leftover rotisserie chicken would be perfect in this recipe. I didn’t have any on hand so I seasoned chicken tenderloins in the oven, and cut each into bite-sized pieces.
If you’re serving this pasta salad as a main dish, then it will serve 6-8 people.
If you’re serving this pasta salad as a side dish, it will serve 12-16 people.

A word about the serving bowl.

I served this Poppy Seed Pasta Salad in my favorite salad serving bowl pictures below. I love it because it’s BIG, plus I can mix the pasta salad and serve it in the same bowl. Plus, it’s pretty to look at. 🙂 In the Cook’s Tools section of this post there is a link to the bowl.

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Cook’s Tools: