by Susan Hanna
This delicious summer salad from Half Baked Harvest combines grilled chicken with pasta, mozzarella, tomatoes, herbs and avocado—all dressed in a balsamic dressing. Make the salad dressing and use about a third to marinate the chicken. Grill the chicken and cook the pasta. Combine all the ingredients and serve warm or cold. I used chicken breasts instead of tenders.
Serves 8.
Avoiding Additives and Preservatives
I used Acetaia La Bonissma balsamic vinegar, which has no added sulfites and pure honey. Tre Stella mozzarella balls are additive-free. For more recipes using all-natural ingredients, visit Eye For a Recipe.
Ingredients:
Balsamic dressing
- 2/3 cup (165 ml) extra virgin olive oil
- 1/3 cup (82 ml) balsamic vinegar
- 3 tablespoons (45 ml) honey
- 1 shallot, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, chopped
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) chopped fresh oregano
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) chopped fresh basil
- Kosher salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes
Salad
- 1 pound (454 g) boneless skinless chicken tenders
- 1 pound (454 g) short cut pasta
- 2 cups (500 ml) mozzarella balls (use marinated, if you can find)
- 2 cups (250 ml) cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 cup (250 ml) fresh basil leaves, torn
- 1 avocado, diced
Preparation:
- To make the dressing combine all ingredients in a glass jar and whisk until smooth. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper.
- In a bowl, toss the chicken with 1/3 of the dressing. Let sit 10 minutes or marinate up to overnight. Set your grill, grill pan, or skillet to medium-high heat. Grill the chicken until lightly charred and cooked through, turning halfway through cooking, about 8-10 minutes.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Boil the pasta to al dente, according to package directions. Drain. Add the pasta, chicken, mozzarella, tomatoes, and avocado to a large salad bowl. Pour over the remaining dressing and toss well to combine. Serve warm or cold. The salad will develop more flavour as it sits.
From Half Baked Harvest
