BLT Pasta Salad with Chicken

• 65 g dry Rotini or penne (2.3 oz dry)
• 600 g Water (2½ cups)
• 1.2 g Salt (¼ tsp)
• 25 g Bacon (0.9 oz)
• 50 g Nonfat Greek yogurt (¼ cup)
• 12 g Light mayonnaise (¾ tbsp)
• 8 g Lemon juice (½ tbsp)
• 0.4 g Black pepper (⅛ tsp)
• 120 g Cooked chicken breast, shredded (4.2 oz)
• 120 g raw Cherry or plum tomatoes (4.2 oz raw)
• 50 g raw Romaine lettuce (1.8 oz raw)
• 10 g raw (½ scallion) Scallion

You'll need: Medium pot, Frying pan, Large bowl, Colander, Paper towel.

Method

1. Boil the pasta

   Bring the water to a boil in the pot with the salt. Cook the rotini for 9–10 minutes, until just tender. Drain and rinse under cold water until cool.

   Cold rinsing stops the cooking and keeps the pasta from clumping in the salad.

2. Crisp the bacon

   While the pasta boils, cook the bacon in the dry pan over medium heat for 5–6 minutes, turning, until crisp. Drain it on paper towel and crumble it.

   Start with a cold pan; the bacon fat renders slowly and it crisps without burning.

3. Whisk the creamy dressing

   In the large bowl, whisk the yogurt, mayonnaise, lemon juice and pepper until smooth.

   Make the dressing in the serving bowl and you have one fewer dish to wash.

4. Toss the salad

   Halve the tomatoes, chop the romaine and slice the scallion. Add the cooled rotini, chicken, tomatoes, romaine and scallion to the dressing and toss. Top with the bacon.

   Add the bacon last so it stays crisp.

Swaps

• Cooked chicken breast, shredded → Canned tuna, drainedCheaper and just as quick, with a little less protein.
• Rotini or penne, dry → Chickpea pastaMore protein and fiber. Cook it 1–2 minutes less.