Grilled Chicken Pasta Salad with Garlic Dill Mayonnaise

Pasta salads are one of my favorite summer meals.  You really can't go wrong throwing any fresh vegetable, a little meat, some pasta and some sort of dressing into a bowl.  My husband, however, is a pasta salad snob.  This means we don't normally eat any type of pasta salad in our house.  So, I save these dishes for potlucks and ladies' nights, where I think most people will enjoy it.  I needed a dish to take to a get together last weekend, and I really didn't want to go to the store.  There was a box of pasta in the pantry, fresh veggies and herbs in my garden, and some chicken in the freezer.  Perfect!  After a little research on sprucing up plain mayonnaise, I had something that I liked.  Best part?  My pasta salad snob husband likes it too.

If you read down through the recipe, you'll see that I have 50 cherry tomatoes listed as an ingredient.  It's not necessary to use exactly 50 tomatoes.  I just happened to count them as I was cutting them and tossing them in the bowl.  Feel free to add more garlic, too; I didn't want it to overpower the salad, but if you love garlic, add in another clove or two.

Grilled Chicken Pasta Salad with Garlic Dill Mayonnaise


1 lb. pasta, cooked
2 green peppers, diced
50 cherry tomatoes
1 cucumber, chopped
2 grilled chicken breasts, sliced
1 cup mayonnaise
2 cloves minced garlic
3 tablespoons fresh dill
salt and pepper to taste

In a large bowl gently combine cooked pasta, peppers, tomatoes, cucumber and chicken.  In a separate bowl mix together mayonnaise, garlic and dill.  Stir the mayonnaise gently into the pasta mixture until well dispersed.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Serve chilled.

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Pesto & Grilled Chicken Pizza

My basil started taking over the window box herb garden, so I decided to put it to good use and make some pesto.  Did you know that you can make pesto with nuts other than pine nuts?   I don't remember where I read this, but somewhere in my culinary research I stumbled upon this remarkable fact.  I used almonds as a substitute, but you can also use walnuts or pecans.

Here's the recipe for the pesto:

2 cups (packed) fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup slivered almonds
1 garlic clove
1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2/3 cup olive oil
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

In a food processor combine the basil, almonds, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and pepper until finely chopped.

I put the garlic clove in whole and it chopped up quite well.

With the processor still running, gradually add the oil until the pesto is smooth and thick.

It will look something like this.

 Transfer to a bowl and stir in the Parmesan cheese.  Season with more salt, if needed.   (Cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days). This recipe makes about 1 cup.

Recipe adapted from Everyday Italian, by Giada De Laurentis




For the Pizza:
Roll out one unbaked pizza dough disc.  Spread desired amount of pesto on top (I used about 1/2 cup).

Place sliced grilled chicken, from 1 grilled chicken breast, evenly over pesto.  Sprinkle with 2 cups mozzarella cheese.

Bake in a 450F oven for 15-18 minutes, until cheese is brown and crust is cooked.