I have been so happy that so many of you have loved the pesto chicken marinade I blogged about a couple weeks ago. I have had so many emails and comments from family and friends that it has quickly become a favorite summer marinade of theirs..as well as mine! The flavors are incredible between the lemon, pesto, basil, etc. One of the best parts about this marinade is it is great as a main dish, or it is also versatile in pasta, on a sandwich, etc. The other night I had extra chicken and threw together this SIMPLE Pesto Pasta Salad. The best part about it is it doesn’t have a cooked alfredo sauce. Besides cooking the noodles, everything else is just throw together, toss and you are ready to serve. This is a great salad to serve at any upcoming barbecues. Hope you love it!
Ingredients
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1/2 cup pesto for marinade
- 24 oz. dry farfalle pasta
- 1 1/2-2 cups baby spinach
- 1 cup grape tomatoes
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup pesto
- 2-3 Tbs. lemon juice
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Marinate chicken, grill and slice (or cube) and set aside. Boil the noodles until al dente, drain and place in a large serving bowl. On to the pasta add the mayonnaise, pesto and lemon juice to the pasta and stir. Add extra lemon juice or half & half to thin out the sauce. Season with salt and pepper as needed. Add the spinach to the pasta, the parmesan cheese, and tomatoes and toss. Top with grilled chicken.
