For most of my readers it’s almost summer. That means it’s time for picnics, barbecues and fun gatherings with friends. This Asian Pasta Salad is a unique twist on the usual pasta salad and will be the hit of your summer parties.
The ingredients are simple: chicken, bell pepper, celery, green onions, black olives, pineapple, mayonnaise (the real stuff), red wine vinegar, heavy cream, sweet and sour sauce and, of course, pasta.
Asian Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 2 boneless chicken breasts
- 1 jar sweet and sour sauce
- 1 green bell pepper
- 1 cup diced celery
- 4 green onions, sliced
- 1 can pineapple tidbits packed in juice, drained
- 1 tablespoon chopped black olives
- 1 2/3 cups mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon heavy cream
- 1-2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 12 ounce package elbow macaroni
- garlic salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Season chicken breasts with garlic salt and pepper and bake at 350 degrees about 20 minutes.
- Pour a couple of tablespoons of sweet and sour sauce over chicken, spread evenly and finish baking until juices run clear. Do not overcook.
- Meanwhile, cook elbow macaroni according to package directions in salted water until al dente.
- While chicken and pasta are cooking, chop vegetables (bell pepper, celery and green onions) and place in large bowl.
- Drain pineapple well and add to vegetables.
- Add one tablespoon black olives.
- Make dressing by combining mayonnaise, vinegar and cream in mixing cup and stir until well combined.
- When chicken is done cool slightly, cut into bite sized pieces and add to vegetable mixture.
- Drain cooked pasta thoroughly and add to chicken and vegetables.
- Pour dressing over and toss lightly to coat.
- Drizzle a bit of sweet and sour sauce over the top and chill thoroughly.
Not only is this a delicious addition to a barbecue, picnic or potluck, it’s a great one-dish weeknight dinner. You can make it even easier by cooking the chicken the night before. In fact, my suggestion is to serve sweet and sour chicken with rice and Asian-style veggies one night, cooking enough extra chicken to make this salad the next. You could even cook the pasta, cut up the veggies the night before and store covered in the fridge.
I love planned leftovers like that. Doing most of the prep for two meals all at once makes the second night so much easier. Not to mention, kitchen cleanup is a breeze on night two!
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