Spring

Chilled Pasta Salad with Chicken, Pears, Blue Cheese, and Basil

by:
July  9, 2010
5
1 Ratings
Chilled Pasta Salad with Chicken, Pears, Blue Cheese, and Basil
  • Serves 4
Author Notes


Basil is usually paired with mozzarella cheese but this chunky pasta salad marries basil with blue cheese. The chicken meat absorbs the sweet juice from fresh pears. A simple vinaigrette of Dijon mustard, red wine vinegar, extra-virgin olive oil, and honey brings together the entire ensemble with a medley of complimentary flavors.
—Garden Gate Kate

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • 1 pound whole wheat fusilli pasta
  • 2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 pound pears, quartered and cored
  • 1/4 pound crumbled blue cheese
  • 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, torn in half
Directions
  1. Cook pasta according to package directions. When fusilli is done, drain in a colander and chill under cold running water. Drain again.
  2. In a large bowl, stir together Dijon mustard, red wine vinegar, honey, olive oil, sea salt, and pepper. Add chicken, pears, blue cheese, basil leaves, and fusilli. Toss and serve.
Tags:
Contest Entries

See what other Food52ers are saying.

Popular on Food52

1 Review

Synky
Synky March 20, 2012
Wow!!! Everyone absolutely loved this salad! The dressing combination is a really nice blend. The local store didn't have a rotisserie chicken, but they had a chicken in tomato sauce which worked really well. Pears are a nice touch, I chopped them up pretty well, which made them juice! For us this portion is enough for 8-10 servings. Thank you!