Chicken Pasta Salad with Green Beans

This salad is so easy to make I almost didn't post it, but decided somebody reading this post might need a really tasty, easy idea for dinner tonight. This salad comes together quickly if you have some leftover chicken to use up, or if you purchase a rotisserie chicken from the deli. I baked a couple of chicken breasts that I had in the fridge. I just salted and peppered them and baked them at 425 degrees for 20 minutes. After they cooled I added them to the salad that I found at Cooking Light. My only changes were to use Farfalle, instead of Penne, tomatoes instead of jarred roasted peppers, and a bit more dressing. This was a great salad on a warm spring evening and I thought it tasted better after it had chilled for an hour. Give it a try if you need a quick meal idea. Enjoy!

Chicken Pasta Salad with Green Beans
Adapted from Cooking Light   (3-4 Servings)

2 cups uncooked pasta-recipe calls for penne, but I used farfalle
2 cups, inch cut fresh green beans-about 1/2 pound
2 cups shredded or cubed cooked chicken
1/4 cup fresh basil, cut in strips-don't leave this out
2 teaspoons chopped, fresh parsley
1 cup grape tomatoes, cut in half
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoon cold water
1/2 teaspoon salt-I used less, about 1/4 teas.
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 small garlic clove, minced

Cook past according to package directions. The last 4 minutes of cooking, add the sliced green beans, so they will cook with the pasta. After 4 minutes, drain the pasta and beans in a colander.Rinse with cold water to make the beans quit cooking and drain well.  combine the olive oil, vinegar, salt, pepper and garlic in a small bowl. In a large bowl, add the rest of the salad ingredients along with the chicken and the pasta and beans. Pour the dressing over the salad and mix. Can be served immediately, or later after it has chilled. We really enjoyed it cold after a hot day of working outdoors.