Chicken and Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta (w/ gluten and dairy-free options)

I am always on the lookout for easy recipes that I can throw together quickly, but they have to be good.  This recipe for chicken fits the bill.  Fast and Yummy!

This pasta salad is a great solution to the "What Am I Going to Make For Dinner" blues.

I sing them often, do you?

Ugh.

This Chicken Pasta Salad and the What's for Dinner Blues

You know how it goes --it's 4:30, or even 5:00--YIKES! And you find yourself in front of the fridge or partially empty cabinets, wondering what on earth you are going to have for dinner.

You're hoping and hoping for inspiration and for a meal of some kind to leap into your arms, but alas, it just doesn't.

I know--I know--the answer is in meal planning or making sure you thaw something out the night before, but if you're like me, meal planning isn't my forte.

Basically, I have a problem with meal planning. It's called super frugalitis. Sounds like something out of a Mary Poppins movie, but it's not.

Anyhow, my meals lean on whatever I can buy inexpensively and what I have plenty of. So I buy things that are on sale and that's what I like to use for the week. So planning ahead when I don't know what is going to be on sale or what is coming out of my garden doesn't work that well for me.

Maybe I'm just being stubborn? Probably the case.

Well, here is your answer.  Following is a simply great combination of some of my favorite flavors - sun-dried tomatoes, feta, and chicken.  If you are lacking any of these ingredients in this chicken pasta salad, you can easily make substitutes.

You could sub in another meat (or even beans) for the chicken, olives or another savory addition for the sun-dried tomatoes, and another veggie for the green beans.

Either way, you've got a family-pleasing, easy dinner solution.

My whole family loved this version so much that they begged for it again right when it was done.  Kitchen work - cooking, cleaning, and doing it all over and over again gets tedious. So when I make something healthy and my family loves it, it really helps me to have satisfaction knowing that they've been blessed by my efforts :-).

Recipe Notes

• Pasta Options:
  For pasta, I used organic brown rice & quinoa fusilli from Trader Joe's. Organic tinkyada is also a great gluten-free choice.
• Seasoning Options:
  I used my All-Purpose Seasoning for the seasoning of choice.
• Dairy Options:
  For my dairy-allergic son I make Almond Feta or try other toppings instead of feta cheese.Toasted pumpkin seeds (remember to soak them first, if possible) or another savory topping like black olives or artichoke hearts are a great substitute for those looking for a dairy-free option.
• Frugal Sun-dried Tomatoes:
  Here's my post on Easiest Homemade Sun-Dried Tomatoes.
• Chicken Options:
  You can use chicken breast, as noted in the recipe, or use leftovers from roast chicken (like spatchcock chicken) as well.

The combination of the seasoning on the chicken, the "punch" of flavor from the sun-dried tomatoes, and the feta, with the freshness of the beans is really something.  We love almost all things pasta, but this chicken pasta salad recipe is something special.

And for sure, the ease of preparation makes it taste even better!

While there is a decent amount of vegetables in this dish, between the green beans and the tomatoes, I would add more veggies to our plates and serve this with a side of a salad or veggies like my Moroccan Carrots.

You could easily also double the veggies in the salad and just add more dressing and feta to taste.

Mangia!

How about you?
Do you have a favorite pasta dish or pasta topping to share?