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This Healthy Chicken Summer Pasta Salad is packed with fresh seasonal ingredients, tossed in a naturally sweet strawberry vinaigrette, and makes the perfect light lunch, picnic or easy warm weather dinner. It’s ideal for meal prep, potlucks, Gluten-free (option) or anti-inflammatory needs — and bursting with summer flavor!

This recipe is naturally low in toxins (for example, low in nickel, copper and vitamin A). If needed, change up the pasta to also make it Paleo/grain-free or to meet any other dietary needs.

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Ingredients in Healthy Chicken Summer Pasta Salad

The ingredients in this recipe were chosen to be anti-inflammatory and to be seasonal for summer:

chicken — I like thighs best, but breast meat also works great. Shred or chop leftover chicken.
pasta — I used penne; any preferred pasta for pasta salad is great. We buy organic Italian pasta with just one ingredient: durum wheat, also called semolina (like this). For Gluten-free, Paleo or other dietary needs, simply choose your favorite pasta.
fresh strawberries
cucumbers — This recipe is extra special if you have fresh cucumbers from your garden, or that are locally grown.
white corn and potatoes — While both of these ingredients are low in nickel, copper and vitamin A, they may not be anti-inflammatory for everyone. Feel free to adjust or substitute if one or both of these don’t fit your needs. Otherwise, they’re wonderful summer produce items that taste great in this setting.
fresh peppermint leaves — Optional: The wonderful Strawberry Vinaigrette contains dried peppermint. Adding fresh leaves to the salad gives color and supports the lovely flavor profile in the dressing.
quality salt

Strawberry Vinaigrette

This dressing is one of my favorites! It’s creamy, lemony and tastes strongly of fresh strawberries! It cloaks the pasta salad beautifully.

For the vinaigrette, you’ll need:

fresh strawberries
olive oil, or avocado oil
fresh lemon juice
agave nectar, raw honey or pure maple syrup (to balance the lemon juice and heighten the strawberry flavor)
dried peppermint
quality salt

How to make Healthy Chicken Summer Pasta Salad

This pasta salad is extra easy to prepare:

Cook the pasta, according to package instructions. Strain pasta, rinse with about 4 cups of clean filtered cool water, reserving about 1/2 cup of the water with the pasta. Cover, and allow pasta to cool to room temperature.
If you haven’t already: Shred or chop the chicken, peel and boil the potatoes (then chop), peel and slice the cucumbers, chop the strawberries.
Prepare the vinaigrette. Add all of the ingredients to the blender: strawberries, olive oil, lemon juice, sweetener, peppermint and salt. Blend starting on the lowest speed, then gradually increase speed to medium or medium/high, and blend at least 30 seconds until smooth and emulsified.
Assembly: Add all of the ingredients to large mixing and/or serving bowl (except the dressing and fresh peppermint): cooled pasta, chicken, strawberries, cucumber slices, potatoes, white corn and salt. Toss well with all of the dressing. Add peppermint leaves to garnish.

Healthy Chicken Summer Pasta Salad in glass bowl, close up

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