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Avocado Pasta Salad

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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Course Salads
Servings 10 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 500 g spiral pasta
  • 1 tbsp salt - for cooking water

CREAMY AVOCADO RANCH DRESSING:

  • 1 ⅓ cups avocado
  • ½ cup buttermilk
  • ⅓ cup whole egg mayonnaise
  • 3 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 ½ garlic cloves - finely grated
  • ½ tsp onion powder
  • 1 ¼ tsp salt
  • ½ tsp black pepper
  • ¼ cup dill - finely chopped

SEASONED CHICKEN

  • 500 g chicken breasts
  • ½ tsp smoked paprika
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ¼ tsp black pepper
  • 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

SALAD

  • 250 g streaky bacon
  • 6 eggs
  • 250 g cherry tomato - halved
  • ¼ red onion - very finely sliced
  • 1 celery stem - finely sliced
  • ¼ cup dill - finely chopped

Instructions
 

  • CHICKEN & CRISPY BACON:
  • Pre-heat the oven to 200°C (fan-forced).
  • Bacon: Place bacon slices on a rack set on an oven tray. Bake 20 minutes or until deep golden and crispy, then remove from the oven and let it cool – it will get crispier. Then chop into 1 cm / 1/3″ pieces.
  • Pound chicken: Cover chicken with baking paper then pound to 1.5 cm / 3/5″ even thickness using a meat mallet, rolling pin or cast iron pan.
  • Season: Mix the paprika, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Place chicken on a baking tray, drizzle then rub with half the oil. Sprinkle with seasoning, then repeat on the other side.
  • Bake the chicken for 12 minutes or until the internal temperature is 67°C. Remove from the tray and rest for 5 minutes then cut into pieces.
  • COOK PASTA:
  • Bring a large pot of water to the boil then add the 1 tablespoon of salt. Cook the pasta per the packet time plus 2 minutes
  • Drain, rinse under water then leave to drain well and cool.
  • Boil eggs and peel then cut eggs into quarters.
  • DRESSING:
  • Place all ingredients except the dill into a container just large enough to fit the head of a stick blender. Blitz until the avocado is smooth.
  • Add dill and jus blitz to mix through. Taste and adjust salt, if needed.
  • TOSS:
  • Place the pasta and dressing in a very large bowl along with everything else EXCEPT the eggs. Toss gently to combine.
  • Add eggs, then toss gently to disperse. Serve!