Pasta with Chicken Peas and a Lemon Dressing

I was dying for a light, fresh pasta a few weeks ago when we had our huge heat wave.  Let me back up this post with the fact that I never eat pasta..never.  I never really loved it and then when our oldest son was diagnosed with Celiac Disease it was not something we made at home.  My husband and younger son enjoy pasta but, again, it is not something we cook.  And that goes for gluten free pasta… it is rice and potatoes for us.

The fact that I was craving pasta was a huge deal and kind of fun to go looking for a recipe.  WOW!  Let me tell you we hit the jackpot with this recipe – a light room temperature pasta with chicken, peas and a lemon dressing.  The slivered almonds were a great addition and just think what a bonus some cheese sprinkled on top would be!

You can cut your cooking time down with Rotisserie chicken.. win win!

It is so fresh, light and delicious!  We made it for lunch because I wanted to photograph it ( the life of a blogger!).  OMG!! I wanted to eat the entire platter!  We had plenty left over and I had it for a few more meals but it really was the best fresh and served when it was cooked. This is a really good dish… perfect for lunch or dinner. Plus, it is easy!

We bought a rotisserie chicken at the market, boiled some water and BAM lunch was served!  Let me know what you think … I know you will love it!

Lemon Pea Pasta

• Author: CookingLight
• Yield: 4 1x
• Category: Main
• Cuisine: Pasta

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Ingredients

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• 6 ounces uncooked small shell pasta
• 1 1/2 cups frozen green peas, thawed
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1/4 cup torn fresh mint leaves
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 6 ounces shredded skinless, boneless rotisserie chicken breast (about 1 1/2 cups)
• 1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted

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Instructions

1. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat.
2. Add peas during the last 2 minutes of cooking.
3. Drain.
4. Combine parsley and next 7 ingredients (through pepper) in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk.
5. Add chicken; toss to coat.
6. Add pasta mixture; toss.
7. Sprinkle evenly with almonds.

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Notes

This verdant pasta salad signals a fantastic start to spring with a shower of fresh herbs. Mini shell pasta and peas are a perfect pair—the pasta serves as a kind of catcher’s mitt for the sweet, bright green peas. You could also use orecchiette, an ear-shaped pasta that serves the same purpose. Skip the chicken and add 1/4 cup crumbled feta or goat cheese for a vegetarian main, or try 2 slices of cooked, crumbled bacon for meat lovers. If you have a nut allergy but still want some crunch, try toasted coarse breadcrumbs or sunflower seed kernels.

Keywords: pasta, chicken, peas

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