Smoked chicken and pasta salad

Preparation time: 30 minutes Number of servings: about 1400 g of salad In 100 g of salad: Energy value 174 kcal Carbohydrates 13 g - Of which sugars 2 g Protein 8 g Fats 10 g Diet: low-sugar.

• finer pasta, e.g. small tubes, shells 200 g - weight before cooking
• smoked chicken or ham or fried chicken 200 g
• yellow cheese 100 g
• canned corn 150 g
• pickled cucumber 100 g
• fresh red pepper 170 g - 1 smaller one
• canned pineapple 100 g - about 3 rings
• mayonnaise 100 g
• cream 18% 50 g
• chives and parsley 2 tablespoons each
• salt and pepper, half a teaspoon each

Smoked chicken and pasta salad

The listed ingredients yield approximately 1400 grams of pasta salad with smoked chicken. Before preparing the salad, I encourage you to read the entire post first. It includes some interesting tips on ingredients and their substitutes. You might want to add other pasta or pickled cucumbers to your salad.

First, cook the pasta. Choose smaller pasta that you can easily spoon or fork. I used Penne Piccole Lisce no. 240, but you can also use classic shells, elbows, or bows.

Pour water into a pot and bring it to a boil. To cook 200 grams of pasta, you'll need about 6-6.5 cups of water. Salt the water only when it begins to boil. Add a level tablespoon of salt to the boiling water. Place the pasta in the pot and cook until al dente. I usually cook pasta a minute or two longer than the manufacturer recommends on the package. This time, however, I cooked it for the recommended time, which is 10 minutes.

The cooked pasta should be springy but soft. Transfer the cooked pasta to a colander and then to a bowl to cool. After cooking, my pasta weighed about 425 grams.

Tip: You can also use whole wheat, buckwheat, corn, chickpea, or lentil pasta. Changing the pasta will affect the final flavor of the salad.

Cut 100g of your favorite cheese into cubes no larger than 1cm. You can also use cubed mozzarella cheese or, for a sharper effect, cheddar cheese. Slice the smoked chicken in the same way. You can use skinless breasts or thighs.

Tip: You can swap the smoked chicken for ham (preferably lean, steamed). Cut it into large cubes (if it's in a piece) or into small pieces (if it's sliced). Finally, you can also use pieces of fried chicken or fried tofu.

Cut approximately 100g of canned pineapple, in rings or chunks, into bite-sized pieces. Approximately 100g is about 3 pineapple rings. Finely dice 100g of pickled cucumber. Drain 150g of canned corn thoroughly. Clean and cut the red pepper into small pieces.

Tip: Instead of the pickled cucumber, or in addition, you can also add a pickled cucumber, as well as slices of fresh cucumber, preferably without the core. For a naturally spicier salad, you can also add thinly sliced ​​red onion, and replace the red bell pepper with an orange or yellow one.

Combine the prepared ingredients in a bowl, add 100g of your favorite mayonnaise and 50g of 18% sour cream or a milder 10% or 12% cream. Add 2 tablespoons each of chopped chives and parsley, 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and, preferably, freshly ground pepper. Mix all ingredients thoroughly and taste the salad. Add more spices or vegetables of your choice if necessary.

This smoked chicken pasta salad is ready to serve immediately. It tastes best with bread or as a party appetizer. It can also be refrigerated and stored in a sealed glass container for 1-2 days. After removing the salad from the refrigerator, mix thoroughly and let it sit on the counter for at least 1 hour to avoid it getting too cold.

At parties, you can serve it in small glasses or bowls as a portioned appetizer, garnishing it with fresh herbs. It also looks great in a large, transparent bowl, where all the ingredients are visible.

Enjoy your meal.