Cold pasta salad recipes are perfect for summer dinners, barbecues and picnics, but they work all year round too.
This chicken pasta salad recipe, with yummy soft avocados, is a perfect lunch selection with a salad and whole grain rolls. Or just on its own.
This can be a very healthy recipe too. Use a bit less mayonnaise to cut the fat content if that is a concern for you.
Avocados are rich in nutrition as well as taste. Walnuts or almonds are equally healthy.
You can use whole wheat pasta to up the nutritional value even more. I like whole wheat pasta. I do find that you need to cook it just a bit more to make it tender. Cook it to the max amount stated on the package, but try it before to make sure you don’t overcook it. And remember – when you cook pasta, the water should be salty enough to taste like the sea.
You can see that this lovely vegetable pasta salad is a very healthy salad recipe.
Chicken Pasta Salad Recipe with Avocado
Ingredients
- 3 cups cooked pasta
- 6 green onions, chopped finely
- 12 - 15 cherry tomatoes, cut in half
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 2 avocados, ripe
- 1 1/2 cups chicken, cooked, chopped
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
- lemon juice
For Serving:
- large lettuce leaves
- 1/2 cup walnuts, or almonds, chopped (optional)
Instructions
- If you are starting from dry pasta, boil a large pot of water and cook the pasta to the package directions.
- Put the cooked pasta in a bowl. Add the chopped green onions to the pasta, then add the mayonnaise. Add the chopped chicken and mix well.
- Remove the skins from the avocados, cut them in half and remove the stones. Cut 8 thin slices for garnish and chop the remainder of the avocados. Sprinkle the sliced avocado with lemon juice and set aside. Add the chopped avocados and tomatoes to the pasta and mayonnaise mixture with the cooked chicken. Season well and add a few drops of lemon juice.
- Arrange the salad in a bowl which has been lined with large lettuce leaves. Decorate with slices of avocado. Sprinkle with chopped nuts if desired. It adds a nice crunch and flavor.
Nutrition
Tips:
- Arrange parsley or watercress around the dish if desired. It adds nice color and flavor.
- Use low fat mayonnaise for a lower fat and healthier pasta salad.
Look here to see why nuts are one of our top 10 healthiest foods to eat.
More cold pasta salad recipes here.
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