PESTO PASTA SALAD with ROTISSERIE CHICKEN

Here’s another idea for a yummy dinner that is easy to prepare in large quantities.

PESTO PASTA SALAD with ROTISSERIE CHICKEN

ingredients:

• 2 Cups prepared pesto (I love Costco’s)
• 2 pounds cooked fusilli pasta (any variety will work, but pasta that has some nubbins to hold the sauce is best.)
• 1 – 2 rotisserie chickens (depending on size), shred cooked meat into large chunks (You can also buy pre-shredded rotisserie chicken meat from Costco or most grocery stores.  It costs more, but sometimes it’s worth it if you’re short on time.)
• 10 ounces of arugula
• 2 – 12 ounce containers of cherry tomatoes, cut in half
• 1 Cup crumbled feta cheese
• Juice of 1-2 lemons
• Freshly ground salt & pepper

directions:

• Cook and drain pasta according to package directions.  Rinse pasta with cool water.
• Toss pasta in a large bowl with pesto and chicken until everything is evenly coated.  (If you don’t have a large enough bowl, then toss half at a time.)
• Add the arugula, tomatoes, feta, and squeeze fresh lemon juice over top.   (The fresh lemon juice gives this dish a fantastic brightness.)  Sprinkle with a couple grinds of salt & pepper.
• Toss again lightly, and sprinkle again with a couple of grinds of salt & pepper.

That’s it!  This is the main dish I prepared on Monday night.  I served it along with a sliced baguette and butter, and a fresh cantaloupe cut into wedges.  This meal provided tasty nourishment to 14 hungry women, plus my family of four.

Enjoy!