Grilled Chicken Pasta Salad with Balsamic Dressing
The perfect salad for light summertime eating as well as for your next BBQ. The grilled chicken, basil & vegetables combine with the balsamic dressing to bring a smoky flavor with a bit of earthiness to this easy to make chicken pasta salad.
1 ½cupsof your favorite Balsamic Vinaigrettedivided
½cupfresh basil,chopped
3plum tomatoes,chopped
¾cupcombination of yellow, red & green bell pepperscut in quarters
10ouncespenne pasta(gluten-free or quinoa pasta is great for those on a GF diet)
½Tablespoonolive oil
¾cupParmesan or Pecorino Romano cheese,shredded
2cupsfirmly packed fresh spinach,chopped
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Instructions
Place chicken in a resealable bag with 1 cup of balsamic vinaigrette. Shake to cover chicken then marinate in refrigerator for at least 2 hours.
While chicken is marinating, chop tomatoes and basil and put in resealable bag together and place in refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
Remove chicken from marinade, discarding marinade, then grill chicken for 6 minutes on each side until cooked through. At the same time, place pepper quarters on the grill & cook 2 minutes per side.
Remove all from grill. Chop chicken & dice peppers.
While chicken is grilling, cook pasta according to package directions; drain.
Transfer pasta to a large bowl and drizzle with ½ tablespoon olive oil and ¾ cup cheese. Let cool 10 minutes or prepare earlier in the day and refrigerate until ready to use.
Toss together pasta, chicken, spinach, tomato basil mixture, peppers and remaining balsamic dressing. Salt and pepper to taste. Cover and chill at least 30 minutes before serving.
Notes
Total time does not include the 2 hours of marinating time.VariationsThis is one meal that you can easily make to your family’s taste.
Change out the chicken for shrimp, fish, pork or go vegetarian with tofu.
Opt for fresh greens, arugula or romaine in place of spinach.
Add more vegetables such as green beans, corn, carrots or asparagus
Different herbs will bring different flavors. Try Italian seasoning, oregano or thyme.
Of course, if you’re a cheese lover like me, add a few sprinkles of Parmesan or feta to the mix.