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Sometimes the best meals are those you can make with ingredients on hand. Take, for example, this chicken and artichoke pasta salad. I threw it together using pantry, fridge and freezer staples. No trip to the store required.
On Sunday, I literally rolled out of bed, went for my morning walk, ate breakfast and started cooking. By lunchtime, I had something delicious to eat.
If you want to prepare the recipe, here’s what you’ll need from the …
- Pantry: Olive oil, white wine vinegar, honey, garlic, seasonings, pasta, marinated artichoke hearts, pistachios
- Fridge: Lemon, Dijon mustard, Parmesan cheese, fresh herbs
- Freezer: Free-range organic chicken from ButcherBox (From now until June 30, 2023, new ButcherBox customers get 2 packs of ground beef FREE in every box for 1 year! All their products are high quality, humanely raised, and never given antibiotics or added hormones. You can choose a box option and delivery frequency to fit your lifestyle and cancel whenever you’d like with no penalty. Place an order and it’ll be shipped right to your door!)
Chicken and artichoke pasta salad may not be the most colorful mélange, but it’s packed with flavor. And leftovers are great when you need lunch or dinner in a pinch.
Recipe adapted from How Sweet Eats.
- ½ cup olive oil
- 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 garlic cloves, grated
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more, to taste
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more, to taste
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
- vegetable oil, for grilling
- 1 pound short pasta, like campanelle or fusilli corti col buco
- 1 cup marinated artichoke hearts, roughly chopped
- ¾ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
- ½ cup roasted pistachios
- ¼ cup chopped fresh dill
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
- Combine the dressing ingredients in a small jar with a lid and shake vigorously until emulsified.
- In a small bowl, combine the first five ingredients (oregano through pepper). Season chicken with spice mixture.
- Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat and brush with vegetable oil. Place chicken in the pan and cook for 6-7 minutes on each side or until grill marks are visible and chicken is no longer pink in the center. Transfer chicken to a plate. Let cool for 10 minutes and then dice.
- Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain and transfer to a large bowl. Add 2 tablespoons dressing and toss to combine.
- Add next five ingredients (artichoke hearts through parsley), prepared chicken and about two-thirds of the remaining dressing and toss to combine. Add additional dressing, salt and pepper to taste. Serve at room temperature or slightly chilled.
