Chicken Club Salad Pasta

            Club Sandwiches should be on the national registry for foods somewhere. It is a classic sandwich but not everyone likes sandwiches. So how about a Chicken club Salad with Pasta? How yummy does that sound? I give you a summertime favorite salad. It is so good!! I am taking our favorite chicken sandwich with mayonnaise, tomato and chicken along with some salty bacon and I put it into a bowl with pasta.

            This is the perfect meal all alone, it would work next to a sandwich or with some grilled chicken. The dressing reminds me of a ranch type dressing, but it is not quite.  Being from the East coast, we claim to know our sandwiches, and the club is a special type of sandwich. It is layered in flavors and bread. When you take that first bite, you have the joy of meat, tomato, mayo, lettuce and  bacon within some tasty bread. Well, this pasta dish is going to give you those same layers of flavor, minus the bread.

            The recipe does include avocado, this can be left out if you choose. I have also chopped some lettuce and placed it in a bowl on the side. I like to place a big spoonful of Chicken Club Pasta on top of the chopped lettuce.

This gives me a complete club sandwich flavor. I put the lettuce in a dish on the side since not everyone in my family enjoys the pasta this way.

Frequently Asked Questions:

            Which type of pasta should I use?

I prefer to use the small shell pasta. Those cute little shells hold the perfect amount of the dressing and mixes with all the other ingredients.

            Can I make this ahead of time?

I always do the work ahead of time and then just have to put it all together the day I need it. You can prepare the dressing, chop and cook the chicken and bacon and store it separately in the refrigerator. and boil the pasta. If you do so, be sure to spritz some lime juice on the avocado chunks.

            Can I store this?

If you have leftovers, I would place it in single serve containers for work or school lunches. If this is stored in the refrigerator, the noodles will soak up the dressing and the pasta salad could become dry.

           

What do you need to make Chicken Club Salad Pasta

            8 ounces of cooked small shell pasta

            2 cups of cooked and chopped chicken

            12 slices of cooked and crumbled bacon

            ¾ cup Italian salad dressing

            ½ cup mayonnaise

            1 cup chopped celery

            1 cup chopped green pepper

            8 ounces cherry tomatoes, halved

            ½ avocado, peeled and chopped

            1 cup cubed Muenster cheese

How to make Chicken Club Salad Pasta

FIRST STEP:

Bring a large pot of water with salt added to a boil

Boil the pasta according to package directions

SECOND STEP:

Drain the pasta when it is Al dente

Whisk the dressing and the mayonnaise together

a)

b)

THIRD STEP:

Stir in the chicken and the bacon, stir to combine

FOURTH STEP:

Add in celery, avocado, green pepper and halved tomatoes

Stirring to combine

Enjoy!

Yum!