CHICKEN & PESTO PASTA SALAD
Wholesome by Sarah by Sarah Pound
This dish has everything you’re looking for in a salad. I particularly love that the creamy dressing uses Greek yoghurt instead of mayonnaise or sour cream and you can’t taste the difference.
PREP TIME 15 minutes
COOK TIME 15 minutes
SERVES 4
What you’ll need
200 g (2 cups) dried penne pasta
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 x 170 g chicken breast fillets
salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper
90 g (2 cups) roughly chopped rocket
220 g (1 1/2 cups) cherry tomatoes, quartered
2 Lebanese cucumbers, chopped into half moons
80 g (½ cup) pine nuts, toasted
120 g goat’s cheese, crumbled
50 g (½ cup) freshly grated parmesan (optional)
PESTO DRESSING
160 g (2/3 cup) pesto (homemade or store-bought)
3 tablespoons Greek yoghurt
First, cook the pasta. Bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil, add the penne and cook according to the packet instructions, about 9 minutes. Drain, run under cold water to stop the cooking process and set aside.
Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Season the chicken breasts well with salt and pepper and cook for 5–6 minutes on each side until golden brown and cooked through. If the chicken starts to colour too quickly, or burn, turn the heat down to low and cook for slightly longer. You can also add a splash of water to the pan to stop the chicken catching and charring. Set the chicken aside for 10 minutes and then slice.
On to the pesto dressing. Mix the pesto and yoghurt in a bowl, then slowly mix in 1–2 tablespoons water until the desired consistency is reached. Season well with salt and pepper.
Add some freshness. Combine the cooked penne with the rocket, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, sliced chicken, pine nuts and goat’s cheese in a large salad bowl. Drizzle on the pesto dressing and mix gently. Check the seasoning and adjust to taste by adding more salt and pepper if needed.
Spoon the pasta salad into bowls. Sprinkle over the parmesan, if using, and serve.