Cold Pasta Salad Recipe With Chicken

Winter began on December 21st. However, for a lot of folks it begins on whatever day you got buried up to your neck in snow. Usually, pasta salads are popular and hit the spot during the summer, not during the winter months. But, just to be different here’s a cold pasta salad recipe with chicken for winter but, you can make it in the spring, summer and fall, too.

It kind of bugs me to go to the deli and see salads for $5.95 (and up) per pound. My wife and I always say, “Hey, we can make that salad a lot cheaper than what they have it for.” And, ours will probably be fresher too.

If you get tired of sandwiches for lunch, or just like a little variety with meals, a good pasta salad, even if its cold can hit the spot. And, they are great even all by themselves.

Both my wife and I like to experiment, so here we go! Now, this has some real basic ingredients, but there is no reason why you couldn’t add more things each day to make it even more interesting.

• 24 ounces of Egg Noodles, cooked as per pkg. instructions
• Three Grilled Chicken Breasts
• Six Ounce Can of Large or Jumbo Olives
• Chopped Fresh Spinach to taste
• One chopped green onion
• 16 oz Bottle of Caesar Dressing (See Newman's Own Creamy Caesar Dressing, Below)

Rinse and cool the noodles with cold water. Use the biggest pot you have and pour the cooled noodles into it. Add about three quarters of the dressing to the noodles and mix thoroughly.

Next, chop up the spinach, olives and green onion and add to the mix. Cut up the chicken into bite size chunks and add to the pot.

Pour salad into a glass or plastic container and refrigerate overnight. Add the remaining dressing to the salad just prior to serving.

For variety, on day two or three of serving the salad, crumble up and add a couple of slices of bacon. Maybe even add cherry tomatoes. The idea is to keep it interesting.

A cold pasta salad can be a meal by itself, or it can make an excellent side for barbecued pulled pork, brisket, or for that matter, any type of meat. Have at it, and have fun!

Enjoy! Like my favorite chef and friend, George Hirsch would say, “Know your fire!”

I don’t ask that you send me 100K for my BBQ and cooking tips. But, hey, it's OK if you do! It really helps with the bills. If not, please check out my sponsors and ads....it helps keep up the blog and my fragile spirit! Thank you, it’s appreciated! Please see bottom of page for Product Disclosure and Privacy Disclosure. “Semper Fi” To All Marines!

Turkey Noodle Soup | A Smokin Recipe

There are probably more than a thousand posts/articles written about how to salvage that leftover turkey from Thanksgiving into turkey noodle soup. So you'll have to brace yourself for yet another recipe!

This isn’t a barbecue or grilling recipe, but so what? Well, I did barbecue the turkey, along with a ham on my Traeger Grill for Thanksgiving. Gettin' out in the cold, dude!

But, But, just how many folks think that they have salvaged everything off a turkey they are going to get and just toss it? This revolting statistical aberration will shock you: Most just toss it!

All right, you're different! You have all your ducks lined up! You have been to a "Tony" Seminar.  You're motivated! You have the ability to make a delicious turkey noodle soup that will have friends, family and all your enemies screaming for seconds .

• One leftover turkey (no human turkeys though)
• One large pot- One large roasting pan
• Large Colander
• Kosher Salt, Thyme, Red Pepper Flakes, Parsley Flakes, EVOO
• Carrots, Celery, Garlic, Onion, Egg Noodles

Leave the turkey in a roasting pan. Cover it with fresh tap water, but be careful not to fill the pan completely to the top to prevent spillage while boiling, but cover the turkey with water the best you can.

Bring to a boil, cover and simmer for four hours. Place your colander over the other pot and slowly pour out the contents of the roasting pan. I prefer to do this in the sink.

Now you just acquired a little “nectar of the gods” but it will need some more work. You will find out that turkey broth is super blah by itself.

So, before you do anything, you will want to season the broth. This is where you will want to add some Kosher Salt. Be conservative and add a tad at a time until the “dishwater” taste goes away.

The next thing to do is add about a teaspoon of Parley Flakes and a half teaspoon of Red Pepper Flakes (real boys & girls can add a lot more pepper). Add Thyme to taste.

I like unique flavors in my cooking, so I caramelized four garlic cloves and amount half of a small onion. But, first mince the garlic and coarsely chop the onion.

In a frying pan, along with a couple of tablespoons of Extra Virgin Olive Oil, it’s time to sauté the garlic and onion. This is best done by moving all the contents to one side of the pan and sauté until golden brown, even a little burnt looking.

You will get a very nice & sweet aroma off the garlic and onion when caramelized (I am still trying to learn to say “caramelized” like Chef George Hirsch says it!). Add both to the turkey broth.

Next, line up & slice up three large carrots and three stocks of celery into bite size chunks and place in the fry pan and sauté for about 6 or seven minutes. Add to the main pot.

Remember all the turkey bones and meat that’s in the colander? Well, it’s time to go to work!

I try to pick out as many bones, and odd little things as I can, first. I use a couple of forks and my fingers (when no one is looking) to separate the turkey meat from the rest.

Put all the meat into a separate dish and filter through it again. Now, add it to the main pot.

Next, it’s time to do the Egg Noodle thing. Half of a ten ounce package of noodles will do.
Follow the directions on the package and cook them separately. When you add them to the main pot it won’t look like enough, but you’ll find out that it is.

Ok, you are at the stage that your fabulous turkey noodle soup creation is ready to eat. It may even be a "Type A" healthy dish, but not vegan. Hey, don't forget to conjure up a nice bread to go along with it.

Enjoy! Like my favorite chef and friend, George Hirsch would say, “Know your fire!”

I don’t ask that you send me 100K for my BBQ and cooking tips. But, hey, it's OK if you do! It really helps with the bills. If not, please check out my sponsors and ads....it helps keep up the blog and my fragile spirit! Thank you, it’s appreciated! Please see bottom of page for Product Disclosure and Privacy Disclosure. “Semper Fi” To All Marines!