Poach boneless chicken breasts, tenders, or thighs in water or broth on Sunday evening to have on hand when the week starts. Chop and mix with a creamy blend of herby mayo & sour cream or thick yogurt for quick sandwiches. Otherwise wrap up tender slices for this fun pasta lunch—be sure to keep the chicken chilled on top of a lunchbox-size ice pack.
Ingredients
- DRESSING
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 1/4 cup light mayonnaise
- 1 small seedless cucumber, peeled and chopped
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon lime or lemon juice
- Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
- PASTA
- 8 ounces uncooked whole-wheat macaroni (or whatever fun shape you like)
- 2 to 3 (14 ounces) Just Bare Skinless Chicken Breasts
- 2 teaspoons dried basil
- Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
- Raw vegetables (jicama, carrots, celery, radishes, and/or red bell pepper), chopped (or cut into dipping sticks), as desired
- Dried fruit, sunflower seeds, chopped walnuts, or pumpkin seeds, as desired
Nutrition Facts
Servings 6
| Amount Per Serving | ||
|---|---|---|
| Calories 230 | Calories from Fat 15 | |
| % Daily Value* | ||
| Total Fat 4g | 5% | |
| Saturated Fat 1g | 5% | |
| Trans Fat 0g | 5% | |
| Total Carbohydrate 30g | 11% | |
| Dietary Fiber 3g | 11% | |
| Total Sugars 2g | ||
| Protein 22g | ||
| Calcium 6% | Iron 11% |
| Vitamin C 5% | Vitamin A 2% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs:
Instructions
- To make the dressing, place all the ingredients in a blender; process until smooth. Refrigerate in an airtight container until ready to use or for up to 1 week.
- Cook pasta according to package directions; drain and rinse in cool water until room temperature. Place in bowl; refrigerate until ready to use.
- Meanwhile, place chicken in large deep skillet; cover with water and stir in basil, salt, and pepper. Bring to a simmer (just below boiling) over medium-high heat; reduce heat to low and gently cook for 10 minutes. Turn off heat and let stand for another 5 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink in center. Cook to internal temp of 165°F.
- Remove chicken from skillet; cool and refrigerate.
- To make lunches, pack up a medium container of pasta (one that is big enough to shake with some chicken and dressing), a container with chopped, shredded or sliced chicken, a smaller container of dressing, then veggies or other stir-ins the kids like. Direct them to add dressing, chicken, and whatever bits they want to include into the pasta, then put the cover on and shake it up. Don’t forget to pack a small fork.
Variations
Just Bare® chicken tenders or boneless skinless thighs may be substituted for boneless skinless chicken breasts.
Nutritional values may change if you choose to substitute another chicken product. If substituting frozen chicken for this recipe, thaw before cooking. If substituting fresh whole boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut the whole breast in half before preparing.