#picnicready

This Mandarin Chicken Pasta Salad is a delightful fusion of flavors and textures, combining tender chicken, sweet mandarin oranges, crunchy almonds, and fresh herbs in a creamy dressing with a hint of Asian-inspired flair. It's perfect for picnics, potlucks, or a light and satisfying meal any day of the week.

Ingredients: 8 oz pasta. 2 cups cooked chicken, diced. 1 cup mandarin oranges, drained. 1/2 cup sliced almonds. 1/2 cup chopped green onions. 1/4 cup chopped cilantro. 1/4 cup mayonnaise. 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt. 2 tbsp honey. 1 tbsp soy sauce. 1 tbsp rice vinegar. 1/2 tsp sesame oil. Salt and pepper to taste.

Instructions: Cook pasta according to package instructions. Drain and rinse with cold water. In a large bowl, combine cooked pasta, diced chicken, mandarin oranges, sliced almonds, chopped green onions, and chopped cilantro. In a small bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, honey, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, salt, and pepper until well combined. Pour the dressing over the pasta salad and toss until everything is evenly coated. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving to allow flavors to meld. Serve chilled and enjoy!

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

There are lots of fresh flavors and bright colors in this vegan pasta salad. The creamy pea pesto changes up the usual pasta salad in a tasty way. This makes it great for picnics, potlucks, or any other event.

Ingredients: 8 oz pasta of choice. 1 cup frozen peas, thawed. 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves. 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast. 2 tablespoons pine nuts. 1 clove garlic, minced. 2 tablespoons lemon juice. 2 tablespoons olive oil. Salt and pepper to taste. 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved. 1/2 cup sliced black olives. 1/4 cup chopped red onion. 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley.

Instructions: Follow the directions on the package to cook the pasta. After draining, set it aside to cool. Thawed peas, nutritional yeast, pine nuts, minced garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper should all be put in a food processor. To make the pea pesto, blend the ingredients together until the mixture is smooth. Put the cooked pasta, black olives, red onion, cherry tomatoes, and chopped parsley in a large bowl. Toss the pasta salad with the pea pesto until everything is well mixed. Let it sit at room temperature or in the fridge. Have fun!

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Picnic panic? My secret: a Waterfly backpack that folds tiny but fits everything - blanket, snacks, even my giant water bottle. Always ready for sunny adventures!🌞🎒