Instant Pot Summer Solstice Salad–can’t decide between pasta and potato salad? Now you don’t have to choose! Try this beautiful and super delicious chicken, pasta and potato salad that is light and perfect for a summer dinner.

Instant Pot Summer Solstice Salad
Today is the longest day of the year! Yay! When we were in Alaska a couple of weeks ago it was so trippy because the sun wouldn’t set until close to midnight. Our bodies were so confused wondering what time we should go to sleep.
During these long summer days it’s fun to eat colorful and healthy meals like this Instant Pot summer solstice salad. I think you’re really going to love this summery dinner. Even though I called it a salad I would serve this as a main dish for dinner. It’s got potatoes, pasta and chicken which are hearty enough to keep you full. Plus some red tomatoes and green spinach for color and nutrition.
Ingredients/Substitution Ideas
- Chicken broth–or water and Better than Bouillon chicken base
- Wagon wheel–I find mine at Winco in the bulk bins. You can also use rotini pasta, small shells or macaroni.
- Petite red potatoes–or regular red potatoes cut into cubes
- Dry ranch dressing mix–I like Hidden Valley and buy the big container and Costco
- Chopped rotisserie chicken–I buy the chicken at Costco
- Cherry–or grape tomatoes
- Spinach
- Olive Garden parmesan ranch salad dressing–or another high quality ranch dressing you love.
Steps
- Add ingredients: Add chicken broth into Instant Pot. Sprinkle in the pasta. Add potatoes on top of the pasta. Sprinkle with ranch dressing mix.
- Pressure cook: Cover Instant Pot and secure the lid. Make sure valve is set to sealing. Set the manual/pressure cook button to 4 minutes. When time is up let the pot sit for 5 minutes and then move valve to venting. Remove the lid.
- Chill: Stir well. Pour the mixture into a medium/large bowl with a lid. Refrigerate until cool.
- Add remaining ingredients: Stir in the chicken, tomatoes, spinach and salad dressing.
- Serve and enjoy.
Notes/Tips
- Alternatively, you can serve this warm. Add chicken into Instant Pot on top of potatoes. After pressure cooking time is up stir in the tomatoes, spinach and salad dressing and serve. Both ways are super tasty!
- This is an all in one pot meal but if you’d like to beef it up you can serve with French bread and a side of fruit, like sliced strawberries.
- I used my 6 quart Instant Pot*. You can also make this in a 3 or 8 quart pot.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container* in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Other recipes you can make with Olive Garden parmesan ranch are Instant Pot 5-Ingredient Potato Casserole and Instant Pot Bacon Ranch Chicken.

More Salad Recipes…
- Instant Pot Sober Potato Salad
- Instant Pot Chicken Taco Salad
- Cranberry Orange Wheat Berry Salad
- Instant Pot Colorful Wheat Berry Salad
- Instant Pot Egg Roll Bowls
Did you know you can filter the recipes on my website to search by meat type, IP or Crockpot, low carb, gluten free, etc.? Use the filter to find exactly what you are looking for.

Get a daily Instant Pot recipe delivered to your email!
Print
Instant Pot Summer Solstice Salad
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 4 minutes (plus 5 minute NPR)
- Total Time: 19 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Description
Can’t decide between pasta and potato salad? Now you don’t have to choose! Try this beautiful and super delicious chicken, pasta and potato salad that is light and perfect for a summer dinner.
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups chicken broth
- 4 ounces wagon wheel or rotini pasta
- 8 ounces petite red potatoes, halved
- 3 Tbsp dry ranch dressing mix
- 2 heaping cups of chopped rotisserie chicken
- 1/2 cup halved cherry or grape tomatoes
- 2 cups chopped spinach, loosely packed
- 1/4 cup Olive Garden parmesan ranch salad dressing
Instructions
- Add chicken broth into Instant Pot. Sprinkle in the pasta. Add potatoes on top of the pasta. Sprinkle with ranch dressing mix.
- Cover Instant Pot and secure the lid. Make sure valve is set to sealing. Set the manual/pressure cook button to 4 minutes. When time is up let the pot sit for 5 minutes and then move valve to venting. Remove the lid.
- Stir well. Pour the mixture into a medium/large bowl with a lid. Refrigerate until cool.
- Stir in the chicken, tomatoes, spinach and salad dressing.
- Serve and enjoy.
Notes
Alternatively, you can serve this warm. After pressure cooking time is up stir in the chicken, tomatoes, spinach and salad dressing and serve. Both ways are super tasty!
- Category: Chicken
- Method: Instant Pot
Stay in touch!
- Sign up to receive daily Instant Pot recipes (it’s FREE)
- Join the 365 Days of Instant Pot Recipes Facebook group
- Subscribe to my YouTube channel
- Buy the 365 Days of Pressure Cooking Cookbook
*Karen Petersen is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.
Instead if rotisserie chicken, how could I use either fresh thighs or breasts?
Yes you could but you’ll need to cut them up into small bite size pieces. That way they’ll cook in the 4 minutes mentioned in the recipe.
If wheat pasta is used in this recipe is the cook time the same? Thanx Karen for your help and extra tasty recipes.
You may increase by 1 minute. But the time will be very close to what is listed.