VICTORY GARDEN ZESTY CHICKEN PASTA SALAD

This is one of the beat, and certainly the easiest, pasta salads you’ll come across. The only cooking involved is boiling the macaroni. And you can make the salad a day or two ahead of time. In fact, we’ve found the flavor gets better after all the flavors have time to mingle. You can serve this salad on lettuce leaves as a luncheon salad, garnished with tomato wedges and some nice hot, crusty French bread. Add a glass of chilled dry white wine, and you’ve turned lunch into an event.

Ingredients

Serves 4.

½ pound elbow macaroni, cooked al dente and drained
1 (12-ounce) package frozen, fully-cooked chicken breast fajita strips, thawed
1 package Fredericksburg Farms Victory Garden Vegetable Dip
1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup mascarpone cheese
1½ cups (6 ounces) shredded sharp cheddar cheese
Leaf lettuce leaves
Tomato wedges
4 Green onions, trimmed

Instructions

After the pasta is well drained, transfer to a large bowl. Chop the chicken breast fajita strips into bite-sized pieces and add to the pasta. Combine the Victory Garden Vegetable Dip mix, mayonnaise, mascarpone cheese, and cheddar cheese in a separate bowl. Stir to blend well, then stir into the pasta and chicken. Combine thoroughly, but taking care not to break up the pasta. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving. To serve, place a couple of leaf lettuce leaves on each serving plate. Mound a portion of the salad in the center and garnish with 3 or 4 tomato wedges. Lay a trimmed green onion across the salad. Serve at once.