This recipe is absolutely perfect for the end of the week during the summertime. It’s a light, refreshing meal so it goes over great on those extra hot summer days. It’s also an amazing way to use up leftover veggies from earlier in the week. I love this recipe because it packs a good amount of veggies into it without having to cook a ton of different things.
The recipe calls for 6-8 cups of chopped veggies. You can split these up in whatever way you prefer (and use whatever you have on hand). This allows you to throw together a healthy dinner without any additional trips out for special ingredients. I like to choose several different colors for the veggies, so the salad looks as great as it tastes.
Here is a list of the various veggies we have used: artichoke hearts, asparagus, baby spinach, bell peppers (raw or grilled, any color), broccoli (blanched), carrots (blanched or cooked), celery, cucumber, egg plant, fennel, jicama, olives, onion, grape or cherry tomatoes, sun dried tomatoes, summer squash, zucchini. You can use any kind of veggie that is a family favorite as well!
Ingredients
- 1 16oz bag of pasta (we like roti best, because the dressing and spices stick well to it)
- 6-8 cups of diced vegetables (the more variety the better!)
- 1 1/2 cups shredded chicken
- 1 lemon
- 3 TBSP of avocado oil mayonnaise
- 3 TBSP of avocado oil
- 1 TBSP apple cider vinegar
- 1 TBSP of Herbs de Provence
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- salt to taste
Instructions
Chop any vegetables that need to be diced and set aside. Juice and zest the lemon. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the pasta al dente. When the pasta is cooked, drain using a calendar and rinse with cold water until the pasta is cool. (Pro tip: if you have any hard raw veggies that need to be blanched like broccoli, carrots, or cauliflower you can place them in a bowl and pour the boiling pasta water over them to do the job while you are rinsing the pasta).
In a large bowl, whisk the avocado oil mayonnaise and the apple cider vinegar together. When the mixture is smooth, add in the avocado oil and lemon juice and blend thoroughly. Add the Herbs de Provence, pepper, and salt and whisk the dressing until everything is well blended.
Add the shredded chicken to the bowl with the dressing and stir until the chicken is well coated. Add the pasta to the bowl and stir until the chicken is evenly distributed and the large chunks are broken up. Mix in the veggies. Add the lemon zest over the top and enjoy!