Grilled Chicken Pasta Salad w/ Chipotle Ranch

a summertime staple

As someone who grew up in The South (hello Atlanta!) - I feel like I have some authority on pasta salad. Especially because I grew up NOT liking pasta salad - or anything with a lot of mayo in it. Clearly my taste buds have changed over the years.

Ingredients

• 1/2 of a box of pasta - I like to use radiatori, gemelli, and other short pastas for this. Cook in heavily salted water and let it cool down.

• 2 chicken breasts

• Chicken marinade of your choosing! (examples below, see notes)

• 2 cups shredded and massaged kale, I prefer dinosaur kale (also known as Lacinto or Tuscan Kale) - see note below on massaging

• 1 cup thinly sliced snap peas

• 2-4 ears of corn, sliced off the cob

• 1/2 cup pickled red onion

• 1/2 cup cotija cheese

• 1 cup regular or chipotle ranch dressing

Instructions

1. Marinate the chicken breasts for at least 30 minutes, all day would be great. Later, let them come to room temperature while the grill is heating.

2. Grill chicken at around 400°F for 6-7 minutes on each side, longer for an extra thick piece. See note about meat thermometer. Set aside to rest for 5-10 minutes so that it stays juicy and cools down a bit.

3. Either ahead of time or while the chicken is grilling, prep your veggies! Slice corn kernels off the cob. Remove snap pea ‘strings’ and then thinly slice at an angle.

4. For the kale - you can either remove the stems and then thinly slice and massage with olive oil OR because the grill is already on, once the chicken is done cooking, turn the burners to low and then throw your kale leaves on the grill for about a minute on each side. Then let them cool down, remove the stems, and thinly slice. No oil needed! Keep a close eye on them in case the heat is too high, you’ll notice the leaves turning a brighter green as they cook.

5. After the chicken has rested, dice into small bite sized pieces, around the same size as your pasta shape.

6. You’ll want a large bowl for this one - add in the pasta, veggies, chicken, cotija cheese, pickled red onion, and 1/2 dressing. Use tongs to toss until everything is mixed and the dressing is spread throughout. Add more dressing and toss again as needed! I did about 3/4 cup but it’ll change based on your preference, how much pasta you use etc.

7. Serve immediately or store in the fridge. Enjoy!

Notes:

• Marinade: You can keep the chicken marinade really simple on this one - I like to do a quick BBQ dijon marinade such as

  • Cover chicken in BBQ sauce or BBQ seasoning

  • Whisk together 1/4 cup olive oil, 2 tbsp dijon mustard, 1 tbsp honey, 1 tbsp soy sauce, and a squeeze of lemon juice or pickle juice

  • Pour the wet mixture over the chicken and stir or turn until coated.

  • Cover and marinate for 30 minutes or up to 8 hours.

• Thermometer: If you get worried about whether or not your chicken is done cooking and don’t want to risk overcooking it, this thermometer gives an instant read and works wonderfully!

• Kale: Since the grill is already one for cooking chicken, you can “massage” your kale on the grill! Turn the burners down to low and put the kale right on the grates. Cook for 1 minute on each side, keeping an eye on it to make sure it is wilting but not burning (a couple of crispy edges are fine). No oil needed! Remove the kale, let it cool down for a couple of minutes then pull off the stems and chop. This cooks the kale so that it’s less bitter, softer, and easier to digest.