Hi Friends! It’s another Tasty Tuesday, and today we have a Chicken Club Pasta Salad!This cool and tasty dish is perfect for a hot summer night! And the dressing is on point! So without further ado, let’s begin!

Ingredients:

• 2 cups cooked shredded chicken (I used the meat from a rotisserie chicken)
• 1/2 box pasta cooked (I used mini farfalle)
• 1 lb bacon cooked and chopped
• 1 bag frozen peas
• 1 cup shredded cheese (I used colby jack)
• 1 cup chopped red onion
• 1 small container cherry tomatoes
• 3/4 cup sour cream
• 3/4 cup mayonnaise
• 2 Tbsp dijon mustard
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp parsley
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• salt/pepper to taste

Prepare pasta by cooking in boiling water according to pkg directions. I add in a little olive oil and a little garlic salt to the boiling water.

Once it is finished cooking, drain the pasta in a colander, I also run cold water through it to cool it down.

Notice this is the sized of the fully cooked “Mini Farfalle” pasta. You can use any kind of pasta you like in your salad.

Next, make the dressing so it can be chilling while you work on the rest of the salad. Add your sour cream and mayonnaise to a small bowl.

Stir until smooth.

Add in the dijon mustard, the 2 tsp salt,

parsley, and lemon juice.

Stir, take a quick taste on a crisp veggie to see if you want to add more of anything else. This is really so good! Then refrigerate.

Next lets get the bacon going. I cook mine on a foil covered cookie sheet in the oven at 400° until done.

Drain on paper towels. Then chop the bacon.

Pour your drained pasta in a large bowl, add the chicken.

Add the sliced cherry tomatoes, the red onion, the frozen peas,

the bacon and the cheddar.

I toss the ingredients and then add 1/2 -2/3 of the dressing on the top and stir through. Generously salt and pepper and stir some more.

Then add a thin layer using the remaining dressing on the top. Sprinkle with some reserve toppings (I used peas, red onion and bacon)

Chill until you are ready to serve!

I use a couple big spoons to do one last toss and then to serve it up.

I serve it on a bed of lettuce, but you wouldn’t need to do that.

I made little garlic toast to go with it.

And I served it with some fresh fruit, and banana bread.

I’m not crazy about peas, but in this salad they are divine! The fact that they are a little bit frozen actually gives them a fantastic texture!

If you prefer to do this as a meatless recipe, you could add in broccoli and or cucumber. You could also add in chopped hard boiled egg. It would be amazing with this dressing.

This is the perfect meal for a summer night. You’ve relished every moment of the day outside, not wanting to go in because finally after such a long winter, summer is here! Like a gift to mankind! And one knows not to waste a single moment of it! And so we rise early and stay up late, treasuring the sounds of the birds and crickets and frogs. It’s almost like a wonderful dream you don’t want to wake up from! The world is like a new land, a paradise and even we feel renewed and rejuvenated! And as we come in hungry and tired but happy in our hearts, this cool creamy salad lets the dream of summer continue to satisfy us through and through. And we can’t believe we get to enjoy the miracle of yet another blissful, carefree summer!

I hope you have a fantastic week!

I’ll be back Friday with another post.

Love Always,

Amy

“As the morning dew reflects the sun, may it bring the promise of new life, new adventures and blessings of a new day .”  ~Bette Kelley