This is one of my favorite recipes to make when I have leftover grilled chicken and extra pasta on hand. Pasta salad is mainly a summer dish but I like to eat this one warm so it perfect for a quick and fresh dinner in the winter. The warm pasta melts the goat cheese so its able to spread throughout the entire salad. I dress the salad with balsamic vinaigrette and add the sweet peppers to offset the strong flavor of the cheese.
Multi-grain Pasta Salad with Grilled Chicken, Goat Cheese, & Arugula
recipe by Sabrina W. for eat.drink.and be merry.
yields 4 servings
1 cup multi-grain penne pasta
2 cups leftover chicken, cut into small strips
3/4 cup grape tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup pepperdew sweet peppers, sliced
1 cup chickpeas, drained and rinsed
3/4 cup crumbled goat cheese
1 bunch of arugula, stems trimmed and chopped
balsamic vinaigrette
Boil pasta according to box directions. Meanwhile prepare your vegetables. Drain pasta and let cool for about 2 minutes so its not too hot. Warm chicken in microwave if using leftovers. Mix pasta with goat cheese and then toss in chickpeas, tomatoes, chicken, and peppers. Lightly mix in arugula and drizzle with vinaigrette.