Chicken Pasta Salad

One of the frequent regulars in our home, this is an easy and healthy meal that you can prepare ahead of time and mix just before you serve it.  For that reason, it’s a great choice for a lunch or dinner on Shabbat.  I often make the noodles and chicken and cut the veggies on Friday so that it’s ready to combine and serve before a meal on Shabbat. 

While it may be tempting to mix it ahead of time, don’t!  If kept overnight or even for a few hours in your fridge, the croutons will become mushy and the cheese slimy and very unappetizing! 

This dish is very flexible and we have varied it a lot over the years!  The type of pasta, cheese, vegetables, dressing, and more can be substituted with your favorites.  

The chicken can be whatever type you prefer – chicken breasts, rotisserie, thighs, or even canned chicken.  I marinate the chicken first sometimes for a more rich flavor.  I either cook it on the stove or in the Instant Pot.  Iceberg, romaine, leaf lettuce, or a mix of greens are all great options for the lettuce.

For the pasta, we commonly use spirals, but have also have used shells and tortellini with wonderful results.  The tomatoes can be any type – halved grape and cherry tomatoes are what we like best.  Cheddar, Mozzarella, and Parmesan cheeses work well in this recipe so use your favorite between those or use a mixture of all three!  Have fun with it!

Ingredients

3 cups of cooked chicken

4 cups shredded lettuce

12-16 ounces of pasta, cooked

1 can of corn

1/2 onion, diced

2 tomatoes, diced

5 ounce package croutons, any variety

12 ounce bottle of Raspberry Vinaigrette

2 cups shredded cheese (cheddar or mozzarella both work well)

Instructions

Combine all ingredients and enjoy!