Ari's Chopped Pasta Salad w/ Jerk Chicken

This is what I call the perfect salad! My chopped pasta salad can be consumed individually as a main dish or as a side dish paired with your favorite entree. It's super easy to make and perfect for a lunch meal prep. You may have a busy week ahead and you are already aware that you are not going to have time to go out for lunch; nor do you want to order lunch every day. So, at the beginning of the week, just whip up a batch of this pasta salad and you will have lunch prepped and ready to go. Although, this pasta salad is good with no meat, but the jerk chicken infuses the pasta salad with a burst of flavor and a hint of spice. Also, we can't forget about the assorted veggies that not only fills the pasta salad with vibrant color, but also give it a refreshing crunch. Out of all the food I make for my friends and family, my chopped pasta salad is the most requested right now. I think between my brother and my sister, I am making this salad at least once every two weeks; they just can't get enough. So, if you are ever struggling with meal prep ideas, try my chopped pasta salad; you won't be disappointed!

Ari's Chopped Pasta Salad w/ Jerk Chicken Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of Ditalini Noodles (you can add more or less than 1 cup if desired)

• Caesar Chopped Salad Kit

• 1 bag of mini cucumbers

• 1 red bell pepper

• 1 yellow or orange bell pepper

• Italian salad dressing

• Caesar salad dressing

• 8-9 chicken breast tenderloins (you can add more if desired)

• Onion powder

• Garlic powder

• 1 packet of Sazon

• Natures seasoning

• Creole seasoning

• Black pepper

• Smoked paprika

• Jerk seasoning in the jar not dry seasoning (optional)

Directions:

• First boil your Ditalini noodles (I boil my noodles until they are Al Dente)

• Once the Ditalini noodles are at the Al Dente texture, drain your noodles and put them in a large mixing bowl

• Next pour about 1/3 cup of Italian salad dressing and 1/3 cup of Caesar salad dressing into the mixing bowl and stir

• Then cover your mixing bowl and place it in the refrigerator so your Ditalini noodles can cool

• While your Ditalini noodles are cooling, its time to prepare your chicken breast tenderloins

• Wash and clean your chicken breast tenderloins and put them in a separate mixing bowl

• Next season your chicken breast tenderloins with onion powder, garlic powder, 1 packet of sazon, natures seasoning, creole seasoning, black pepper, and smoked paprika; then mix well

• Then add 1 Tbsp of jerk seasoning to your chicken breast tenderloins (you can add more if you want more of a spice)

Note: You do not have to add jerk seasoning to your chicken breast tenderloins

• Mix your jerk seasoning on your chicken breast tenderloins until it is well blended

• Now that your chicken breast tenderloins are seasoned; place them in the air fryer and cook them on roast at 400 degrees for about 21 minutes or until done (make sure to turn them halfway through the cooking time

Note: You do not have to cook your chicken breast tenderloins in the air fryer, you can cook them in a skillet on the stove top or in the oven

• While your chicken breast tenderloins are cooking, its time to chop up your veggies

• Get your red and yellow/orange bell pepper and cut them in chopped sizes, then place them into a separate bowl

• Next get your mini cucumbers and cut them into bite sizes (I usually slice them in half first, then cut them in bite sizes)

• Once all of your mini cucumbers are cut, place them in the bowl with the other veggies and mix them altogether; then put the bowl of veggies to the side

• Check your chicken breast tenderloins, they should be done cooking or almost done cooking

• After your chicken breast tenderloins are done cooking, let them cool (we don't want to put hot chicken in the chopped pasta salad)

• Now that your chicken breast tenderloins are cooled, cut them into bite sizes and put them in a separate bowl

• Once all of your chicken breast tenderloins are cut; Its time to make the chopped pasta salad

• Take your Ditalini noodles out of the refrigerator and stir the noodles (your noodles may be stuck together)

• Next add the lettuce from your Caesar chopped salad kit to the bowl with the Ditalini noodles and mix well

• Then add your veggies and mix well

• Next add your chicken breast tenderloins and mix well

• Once the chopped pasta salad is well blended, its time to add the rest of the contents from your Caesar chopped salad kit: the crumbled garlic croutons, the shredded parmesan cheese, and the pack of Caesar dressing (I do not use the pepper packet that is included in the chopped salad kit)

• Mix everything together until it is well blended

• Lastly, I add more Italian salad dressing and more Caesar salad dressing to taste and mix again

Enjoy!!

Watch me make Ari's Chopped Pasta Salad w/ Jerk Chicken