I haven’t been feeling it with blogging lately. I’ve been blaming it on the weather–It’s been grey and rainy for what feels like weeks now. I know we need the rain…Especially after the dry winter and all. Still, some sunshine would be nice again. I’ve also been blaming it on my thyroid. At my last appointment, my doctor cut back my meds, because it appeared my thyroid had been over-stimulated. I think it’s back to being under-stimulated again, as I’ve been exhausted, lethargic, and feeling like even the simplest of tasks have left me feeling drained. Friday night, I went to bed at 10, and couldn’t get out of bed until 7 on Saturday. I know that’s normal sleep for most people, but not me. And I would’ve stayed in bed even longer, had the bambino not gotten me up.

I made this Pasta Salad with Roasted Chicken last weekend, and I’d been meaning to post the recipe for a few days now. I just haven’t felt up to it. I’ve been uninspired, whether that’s due to the weather or my thyroid issues, I don’t know. I also have been feeling like “what’s the point?” with the blog. Sometimes I feel like it’s a waste of my time…I make barely enough to cover the hosting fees–Were I not spending some of my earnings on the occasional photo prop or specialty ingredient for posts. I don’t have the time or knowledge to properly market myself. Ah, well. Someday, right?

Anyway, back to the pasta salad.

About a week or two ago, the grocery store had a sale on split chicken breasts, which I love so much more than the regular boneless, skinless breasts I usually buy. For one thing, the meat off 2 split chicken breasts will usually feel the 3 of us, with some leftovers. So I automatically get at least 2, sometimes 3 meals from them. For another, they’re more flavorful than regular chicken breasts. And because I leave the skin on when I roast them, the meat stays juicy, and doesn’t dry out. I know the skin is where all the fat is and all, but I figure for as infrequently as I buy/cook these, the occasional bit of crispy roasted chicken skin isn’t going to kill me.

I also had a ton of grapes I needed to use up. Any time I buy those, I seem to be the only one who eats them. I like grapes and all, but after 6 days in a row of eating them, I get a little tired of them. So this recipe was perfect for using the excess grapes I had, along with using up a lot of the leftover chicken.

Yield: 6

Pasta Salad with Roasted Chicken

Print

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Total Time 25 minutes

Ingredients

• 3 C uncooked farfalle (bow tie pasta)
• 1/3 C orange juice
• 1/4 C fresh lemon juice
• 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 Tbsp. stone-ground mustard
• 2 tsp. sugar
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tsp. onion powder
• 1 1/2 tsp. white wine vinegar
• 2 C roasted chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1 1/2 C seedless red grapes, halved
• 1/2 C walnut pieces, toasted
• 2 Tbsp. lightly-dried parsley

Instructions

Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain and cool completely.

While the pasta cooks, dry-toast the walnuts in a small skillet over low heat. Stir or toss occasionally for 10-12 minutes, or until the nuts are golden brown. Set aside to cool.

Combine the orange juice, lemon juice, olive oil, mustard, sugar, salt, pepper, onion powder, and vinegar in a large bowl, and whisk until combined.

Add in the cooled pasta, chicken, grapes, walnuts, and parsley. Toss gently to combine with the dressing. Serve at room temperature, or chill for 2 hours in the refrigerator.

Notes

Prep time does not include refrigeration.