Treat Mom to a great dinner salad

Linda Gassenheimer

Make this quick Roasted Chicken Pasta Salad for Mom on her day and enjoy a family meal at home. No mess to clean. It uses only one pot, won’t heat up your kitchen and takes only 20 minutes to make. It also makes a great dinner salad anytime.

I use a bought roasted or rotisserie chicken breast for the salad. It is cooked on the bone and generally is moist and flavorful. There are many brands of roasted chicken breast that are boned, skinned and cut ready to use. These work fine in this recipe and will shorten the preparation time.

Helpful Hints:

Any type of short cut pasta such as penne can be used.

Most of the salad can be made a day ahead. Add the lettuce, tomato and scallions just before serving.

Countdown:

Place water for pasta on to boil.

Make dressing.

Complete salad.

ROASTED CHICKEN PASTA SALAD

1/4 pound fusilli (corkscrew-shaped) pasta

2 cups chicken breast, skin and bone removed, from purchased roasted or rotisserie chicken

6 tablespoons reduced-fat mayonnaise

2 tablespoons prepared horseradish

2 tablespoons orange marmalade

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 cup sliced celery

2 scallions, sliced

Romaine lettuce, washed and torn into bite-size pieces (about 4 cups)

1 medium tomato, cut into wedges

Place water for pasta on to boil. Meanwhile, remove skin from chicken and remove meat from bones. Cut into 1-inch pieces. Mix the mayonnaise, horseradish and marmalade in a large bowl. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add chicken and celery and toss well.

Add pasta to boiling water and bring back to the boil. Cook 8 minutes or until pasta is cooked through. Drain and add to the chicken. Toss well. Add more salt and pepper, if needed.

Divide a layer of lettuce leaves between two dinner plates. Spoon the salad onto the lettuce and top with sliced scallions. Place tomatoes around the edge of the plates. Sprinkle tomatoes with salt and pepper.

Tribune News Service