Curried Chicken Pasta Salad

I like cold salads because I can get away with adding raw vegetables, so it cuts down on the amount of cooking I have to do. I can also make them in advance and just pull them out of the refrigerator and serve on busy nights.

This is a spicy twist on traditional chicken and pasta salad. I warned my kids that the after taste was spicy and my oldest son said, “Yes but the before taste is sweet”.  He is right; the honey does counter the spicy curry seasoning with a light, refreshing sweetness.

Curried Chicken and Pasta Salad

Yield: 6 -8 servings
Prep Time: Prep the vegetables and dressing while the pasta is cooking.
Cooking Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:
8 oz. pasta, cooked according to the package directions
1 1/2 – 2 cups cooked chicken, diced
1 cup carrots, thinly sliced
1/2 cup onion, diced
2 stalks celery, thinly sliced
2 cups cherry tomatoes

Dressing Ingredients:
3/4 cup plain yogurt
1 tablespoon honey
1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

Directions:

Cook pasta according to package directions. When the pasta is done, rinse it under cold water, until the pasta is cool.

While the pasta is cooking, chop vegetables and dice cooked chicken.

Combine the dressing ingredients in a small bowl and use a whisk to thoroughly combine.

Add pasta, chicken, vegetables, and dressing to a large bowl. Stir well to throughly coat salad with dressing.

Serve immediately or refrigerate to serve later.

This post is linked to $5 Dinner Challenge.