Chicken and Tortellini Salad

ellie_'s Note:

Children and adults love this simple-to-make Spring dinner salad. I made several changes to the original recipe which was printed in Bon Appetit (May, 1983).

• Total Time: 20 mins
• Prep Time: 20 mins
• Cook Time: 0 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 4

• 1 lb chicken breast , cooked and cut up in bite-size pieces
• 2 cups green seedless grapes
• 1 cup snow peas , trimmed and cut into pieces
• 12 -15 spinach leaves , stems trimmed and torn into pieces
• 1 stalk celery , cut diagonally into small pieces
• 1 lb frozen cheese-filled egg tortellini , cooked and drained according to package directions
• 1 (6 ounce) jar marinated artichoke hearts , drained
• 1 cucumber , sliced
• 1 -2 kiwi fruit , peeled and sliced
• ½ cup raisins
• 1 green onion , sliced
• ½ cup mayonnaise or ½ cup Miracle Whip
• ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
• 1⁄3; cup orange juice
• spinach leaves (optional) or oranges (optional) or tangerines, sections (optional) or sliced strawberry , for garnish (optional)

Directions:

1. Combine first 11 ingredients (chicken through green onion) in large salad bowl; toss.
2. Mix mayonnaise, Parmesan and orange juice in small bowl.
3. Pour dressing over salad and toss.
4. Refrigerate until ready to use.
5. Add optional garnish of orange sections and/or strawberry slices.
6. If desired, serve on trimmed spinach leaves.

Reviews

[Kirby]

I made this without the chicken, and used a little more coarsely grated Parm for a heftier salad. Very simple, tasty dressing. Of course one could use any combo of seasonal vegetables and fruit. I left out the spinach and celery this time around, and went easy on the dressing. I'll make it again in one form or another.

[ratherbeswimmin']

This is one hefty little salad. I made two minor substitutions: sugar snap peas instead of snow peas and strawberries instead of kiwi (the kiwi didn't look very good at the grocery store). I also served the salad on a bed of spinach leaves instead of adding the spinach to the salad. This one is excellent, Ellie. I thought the dressing added just the right enhancement to the overall flavor and was not overpowering. It will be my turn to host a "Lunch Bunch" luncheon at my house in August and this is what I will be serving. Thanks so much.