Pasta Salad for the Win!

Last year I made a habit of posting pasta recipes on Fridays. Today, I am bringing the tradition back with two pasta salads that you really should make this weekend. Apparently nothing says TGIF like a noodle!

Mallory and I spent last weekend with our families in Lake Chelan. Our grandparents built the cabin our parents now own on the lake and its not without its quirks. One of which we teasing refer to as its “one butt kitchen”. Its teeny, only room for one rear-end to be cooking, which is challenging when you are trying to prepare dinner for our large tribe. As a result, we try and get creative with dinner ideas that take minimal prep work but still taste amazing. We may have come up with the winning menu this past weekend: pasta salads. The kids love them deconstructed and the adults couldn’t get enough of either recipe. They also make great leftovers. Winning!

• 

• 

• 

We had the first chicken pasta salad at our future cousin-in-law Chelsea’s bridal shower in Wenatchee a few weeks ago. It was delicious (think I went back to the buffet for three helpings) and immediately begged for the recipe. With celery and almonds it has crunch, sweetness from red grapes, and tang from fruit juice, mustard, and vinegar. Highly recommend! Extra points if your salad bowl matches your dress 😉

• 

• 

• 

Chicken Pasta Salad

• 1/3 cup orange juice
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon Country Dijon Mustard (Combination of Grey Poupon and Whole Grain Mustard)
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 1 1/2 teaspoon white wine vinegar

Mix all above ingredients in a jar. Shake to combine. Then, cook 3 cups (about 8 ounces) pasta and cool completely. In a large bowl, add:

• 2-3 cups rotisserie chicken breast
• 1 1/2 cups seedless red grapes, halved
• 1 cup thinly sliced celery
• 1/3 cup finely chopped red onion
• 1/3 cup toasted slivered almonds
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

Add dressing and toss. Makes about 6 servings.

Recipe Credit: Linda Graham (thank you so much for sharing Linda!)

• 

• 

• 

I saw a similar Caesar Pasta Salad posted on @defineddish the week before we headed to Chelan and thought it would make a great, easy dinner especially with garlic bread on the side and simplified with ready-made ingredients. Love when I am right! This salad was delicious, easy and the garlic bread was the perfect accompaniment. Make this recipe ASAP with your favorite Caesar salad dressing (we used Metropolitan Market’s), pasta noodle and garlic bread (which apparently is all the rage right now because both PCC and Metropolitan Market were sold out).

Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad

• 2 large chicken breasts (approx. 1.25 pds), grilled and chopped
• Italian Marinade (I used Kroger’s Zesty Italian Dressing)
• Penne Pasta (16 oz)
• 4 heads romaine lettuce, chopped
• Shredded Parmesan Cheese to taste (I used about 1 cup + more for garnish)
• Favorite Caesar Salad Dressing
• 1 lemon
• 1 loaf of Garlic Bread for Serving
• Olive oil

In the morning, marinate your chicken in the Italian marinade for about 8-10 hours. When ready to make your salad, grill chicken until cooked through. Then chop. Cook pasta to al dente according to package instructions. Toss with a little olive oil to keep noodles from sticking together after cooking. Add chopped romaine, parmesan cheese, pasta, and chicken to a large bowl. Squeeze a lemon over the ingredients. Add Caesar salad dressing to taste and mix. Makes 4 servings. Serve with garlic bread and sprinkled with parmesan cheese.

Recipe Inspiration: Defined Dish

Do you have a favorite pasta salad recipe we should try? Please let us know if you make either of our chicken pasta salad recipes posted above. We would love to hear what you think by tagging us on Instagram @letswineaboutitsister. We hope you have a great, pasta-filled weekend!