Lemony Asparagus Pasta Salad

I found this recipe, originally named Asparagus and Arugula Pasta Salad on Gimme Some Oven. I had never had asparagus in a cold pasta dish, so that intrigued me. But when I went to make it, I had a flash of inspiration on how to change it and make it better. It’s simpler, and this is another out-of-this-world fantastic recipes now.

I nixed the arugula and basil, increased the feta cheese, and added in sautéed chicken breast. I used mini penne pasta instead of the fusilli because I liked how the mini penne would be around the same size as the cut asparagus. And I made a slightly different dressing for it. The result is a light tasting pasta salad that is delightful on a warm summer day.

So, let’s get cooking!

Set a large pot of water to boil for the pasta. Cook until al dente, then drain and rinse well with cold water.

Sauté the chicken breasts in a skillet with a little oil. I quickly sliced the breasts into thirds to reduce the cooking time. When cooked through and cooled, dice into smallish chunks.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch….trim the ends off the asparagus and slice diagonally into pieces about 1 ½  inches long. Using a steamer basket in a covered saucepan, steam for about 4 minutes, then drain and cool off with cold water.

In a large bowl, place the pasta, chicken, and asparagus.

To make the dressing, just whisk together the lemon juice, oil, sugar, salt, and pepper.

Pour over the ingredients in the bowl and toss together well. Add the feta cheese.

And…voilá! A delicious pasta salad with a light fresh taste that’s a perfect meal in itself.

Enjoy! ~TMMF

Lemony Asparagus Pasta Salad

1 lb mini penne pasta
2-3 chicken breasts
1 lb fresh asparagus
1 c feta cheese
1/2 c lemon juice
1/4 c oil
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 tsp pepper