Garlic Pasta Salad With Pecans

Name: Garlic Pasta Salad With Pecans
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 6-8 serving(s)
Ingredients: 2 cups rotini pasta, uncooked (I use tri color rotini); 2 cups boneless skinless chicken breasts, cooked, cut into 1/2 inch cubes or 2 cups cooked shrimp, de-tailed; 1/2 lb colby cheese, cut into 1/2 inch cubes; 2 cups fresh broccoli or 1 cup diced green bell pepper; 1 (8 ounce) bag pecan halves, unsalted; 1 cup grapes, halved (I use red seedless grapes for color); 1 cup mayonnaise; 1 (1 ounce) packet Lipton Recipe Secrets savory herb with garlic soup mix

Submitted by Mammabunny

"This is my own recipe. I use it for most special occasions, with shrimp, and potlucks, with chicken. You can adapt it with just about any fresh veggie or cooked meat you would like! Cut the mayonnaise by half and make up the difference with plain yogurt, or sub plain yogurt entirely, for an eggless dish."

Download

photo by Carol O'

Ready In:: 30mins
Ingredients:: 8
Serves:: 6-8

ingredients

2 cups rotini pasta, uncooked (I use tri color rotini)
2 cups boneless skinless chicken breasts, cooked, cut into 1/2 inch cubes or 2 cups cooked shrimp, de-tailed
¹⁄₂ lb colby cheese, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1 2 cups fresh broccoli or 1 cup diced green bell pepper
1 (8 ounce) bag pecan halves, unsalted
1 cup grapes, halved (I use red seedless grapes for color)
1 cup mayonnaise
1 (1 ounce) packet Lipton Recipe Secrets savory herb with garlic soup mix

directions

Cook pasta rinse well, and chill.
In a small bowl, mix mayonnaise and Lipton Recipe Secrets until well blended.
Cover, let stand in refrigerator to combine flavor, while you prepare remaining ingredients.
In a large bowl, combine remaining ingredients (hold out a few pecans and grapes for garnish). Add pasta and mayonnaise mixture, toss until well coated.
Place in serving bowl.
Top with remaining grapes and pecans.
IF substituting the fresh broccoli, eat or throw about the salad after 2 days. the broccoli tastes funny after that. (not that we often HAVE leftovers!) We haven't tried the bell pepper option yet, due to an allergy, but friends assure me it's very good.

Questions & Replies

Got a question? Share it with the community!

Reviews

This was really tasty and easy to make Although I think I missed the key magic ingredient, as I'm overseas and couldn't get the soup mix. Instead I used a Knorr garlic salad dressing mix, plus some Tony Cachere's and Old Bay seasoning :). Used Broccoli, and cheddar cheese. I was really happy with the taste and flavor combinations. Not sure, but I think maybe I would have liked a little more mayo. I also used a hand held chopper to chop the pecans into smaller pieces. Thanks for the recipe!!

Dr. Carrie
Wish I could give this 10 stars, MB. It deserves at least that many. WOW!!! The flavors just pop. I left out the green peas (carb-watching) in order to use the pasta. Can't say enough about this terrifc salad. Definitely guest-worthy!! Thanks for being my PAC-06.Caroline

Caroline Cooks