Chicken Club Pasta Salad Recipe

Now that the sun has decided to shine in Oregon it is barbecue season. We enjoyed our first barbecue get together with friends last weekend.

I was in charge of salads so I tried a new pasta salad recipe in addition to a standard green salad. The idea for this recipe came from one of my favorite recipe and cooking resources: Cooking for Your Family on babycenter.com. I changed a few things according to taste and what I had available. It turned out to be delicious. The only thing I noticed is that the avocado turns a little brown in the salad by the next day so it's not great for leftovers.

Chicken Club Pasta Salad
24 oz. spiral pasta
2 tbs. olive oil
1 cup creamy Italian dressing

2 cups chopped rotisserie chicken
1 cup cubed Monterey Jack cheese
3/4 cup bacon pieces
2 avocados, cubed
3/4 cup chopped celery
1 green bell pepper, diced
8 oz. cherry tomatoes, halved

Directions: Cook pasta al dente, toss in olive oil and cool. Toss pasta in Italian dressing, then add all other ingredients. Stir to evenly distribute and serve cool or at room temperature.

For more great recipes and info about healthy eating check out Real Food Wednesdays.