Monday, October 6, 2008

Chicken Pasta Salad

Tonight's dinner was nothing to write about -- spaghetti and meat sauce (yummy, but nothing new), so I want to share a recipe for a dish I made this weekend. This is adapted from a recipe I found in a book about salads. I do not remember the title or the author, but the author's nickname was "The Salad Man." I hope that helps if you decide to look for the book. I found it at our library.

Chicken Pasta Salad
4 Tbsp (or more) Italian salad dressing (ff, light, or regular)
2 tomatoes, cut into bite sized pieces
1/2 chopped red onion
1 lb whole wheat pasta (I like rotini because the juices stick in the spaces.)
1 large head of broccoli, cut into florets (save the stems to use in coleslaw or other dishes)
1-2 cups frozen peas (I do not measure with dishes like this.)
2 cups or so shredded, cooked chicken (I bought a rotisserie chicken. I used some for this and froze the rest to use in my white bean chili later this week.)
Baby spinach or your favorite greens
Salt and Pepper to taste

Mix 3 tbsp of the salad dressing with the tomatoes and onion in a shallow dish. Set aside to marinate.
Cook the pasta for the number of minutes suggested on the package, but add the broccoli 3 minutes before the pasta is cooked. One minute later, add the peas. Drain.

Combine the pasta mixture with the tomato mixture. Add the chicken and seasonings. Toss gently. Serve on top of greens and top with remaining salad dressing.

*My family loved this, and there was enough left for leftovers. About the whole wheat pasta, it is all we eat. I hear people say their children will not touch it, but it is all my children know. You may start the transition by doing half whole wheat and half white (what is the right term?). The whole grains are so much healthier, and frankly, I think whole wheat breads and pastas are delicious. Give them a try!

(2 days in a row...Can I keep it up?)

Blessings,
Bev

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