{chicken pasta salad}

Spring is coming, which always makes me hungry for yummy salads. This is certainly no exception. It does require starting the night before with a quick marinade, but certainly worth the effort.

CHICKEN PASTA SALAD

1 1/2 lbs. chicken breasts, marinated overnight in:

1/2 c. olive oil
1/4 c. red wine vinegar
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
1 tsp. crushed garlic
1 tsp. dried basil
1/4 tsp. thyme

Grill the chicken, then cut up into 1/2 inch cubes.

Salad:

20 oz. multi-colored corkscrew pasta
1 c. broccoli, cut into small pieces
1/2 c. purple onion, diced
1/2 c. green pepper, chopped
1/2 c. red pepper, chopped
1 c. celery, chopped
1/4 c. + 1 T. freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Grilled, marinated chicken

Dressing:

1/2 c. olive oil
4 T. lemon juice
1/2 c. mayo
2/3 c. sour cream

Combine salad ingredients, toss with dressing. Refrigerate until ready to serve.