Follow these simple steps to create your healthy chicken pasta salad:

1. Cook Pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the whole grain pasta and cook according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process.

2. Prepare Chicken: If using leftover cooked chicken, shred it into bite-sized pieces. If cooking fresh chicken, grill or poach the chicken breast, then let it cool before shredding.

3. Chop Ingredients: While the pasta cooks, dice the avocado, halve the cherry tomatoes, and chop the fresh basil.

4. Combine Ingredients: In a large bowl, combine the cooked pasta, shredded chicken, diced avocado, halved cherry tomatoes, and chopped basil.

5. Dress the Salad: Drizzle olive oil and lemon juice over the salad. Gently toss to coat all ingredients without mashing the avocado.

6. Season: Add salt and pepper to taste. Toss again to ensure all flavors meld together.

7. Serve or Chill: You can serve the salad immediately or store it in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes for a cooler option.