Ingredients:
1/2 lb. skinless oven roasted chicken breast
1/2 lb. corkscrew pasta
4 oz. block mild cheddar or Colby Jack cheese, cubed
1 cup frozen sweet peas
1/4 cup sweet pickle relish
3/4 cup halved red grapes
1/2 cup good mayo
juice of 1/2 lemon
1 tsp. lemon zest
1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes
1 stalk of celery, diced
1/4 cup medium white onion, chopped fine
2 Tablespoons fresh Italian parsley, chopped
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
splash of milk, if needed
Directions:
Start with thawed chicken breast and coat in olive oil, salt and pepper and roast on a sheet pan for 20-25 minutes at 375, or until golden brown and done in the middle. When the chicken is done, set it aside to rest and cool. Once cool, cube it into bite size pieces.
In the meantime, get your pasta on the stove and cook until al dente according to package directions. Rinse under cold water and drain, set aside.
Next, cube your cheese; juice and zest the lemon, dice the celery and chop the onion. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the mayo, pickle relish, lemon zest and juice. Toss in all other ingredients. You can add a little more mayo or a touch of milk to get the desired consistency. Salt and pepper to taste.
Gently stir in chopped parsley, reserving a little for garnish.
Transfer your salad into your serving vessel. Add whole grape tomatoes, or halved cherry tomatoes and chopped parsley to garnish.
