Grilled Chicken and Pasta Salad
This salad is very filling and is used as a meal in my home. Everyone always loves it! It is also quick and easy. Note: I have also added olives, hard boiled eggs, and red bell pepper to this salad. Enjoy with your favorite dressing!
This salad is very filling and is used as a meal in my home. Everyone always loves it! It is also quick and easy. Note: I have also added olives, hard boiled eggs, and red bell pepper to this salad. Enjoy with your favorite dressing!
- Carbohydrate 55.05257759786 g
- Cholesterol 104.727389568 mg
- Fat 12.221028316 g
- Fiber 9.99089494586299 g
- Protein 47.73358745464 g
- Saturated Fat 6.360953766648 g
- Serving Size 1 1 serving (436g)
- Sodium 442.988067364 mg
- Sugar 45.061682651997 g
- Trans Fat 1.241723059914 g
- Calories 518 calories
Step-by-step
- Preheat the grill for high heat. Season both sides of chicken breast halves with steak seasoning.
- Lightly oil the grill grate. Grill chicken 6 to 8 minutes per side, or until juices run clear. Remove from heat, cool, and cut into strips.
- Meanwhile, place the rotini pasta in a large pot of lightly salted boiling water. Cook 8 to 10 minutes, until al dente. Drain, and rinse with cold water to cool.
- In a large bowl, mix together the cheese, onion, lettuce, and tomatoes. Toss with the cooled chicken and pasta to serve.
Thermal Management and Protein Texture
Direct grilling demands high radiant heat to polymerize surface proteins via the Maillard reaction before interior moisture evaporates. Seasoning poultry with coarse steak seasoning containing dehydrated garlic and pepper creates a crust that protects lean muscle fibers from drying out over open flames. Cook chicken breasts for precisely 6 to 8 minutes per side on a well- oiled grate to prevent tearing the delicate exterior proteins. Internal temperature must reach 165 degrees Fahrenheit before removal. Cooling cooked poultry completely prior to slicing prevents residual heat from melting the cubed mozzarella cheese upon contact.
Starch Control and Component Assembly
Boiling rotini pasta in salted water gelatinizes surface starches, allowing oil-based dressings to adhere uniformly. Rinse cooked pasta thoroughly under cold running water immediately after draining to halt starch retrogradation and stop internal cooking. Rotini features helical grooves that mechanically trap heavier elements like chopped red onions and cherry tomatoes. Combine dense greens like chopped romaine lettuce at the final moment of serving to maintain structural rigidity against moisture from the tomatoes and cheese. Stfrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for no longer than 48 hours to preserve lettuce texture.
