Grilled Chicken Bow Tie Pasta Salad

By srumbel

I am loving all the fresh produce that is available this time of year and this is one of the dishes that help me to get my kids to eat all their vegetables. It's simple to throw together, you don't have to turn your oven on to make it, and it's the perfect fresh summer dish.
I patterned this recipe after my Mom's Pasta Salad because my kids love it, but by adding chicken it becomes an amazing main dish!

from sixsistersstuff

Ingredients

• 1 (12 oz) package bow tie (farfalle) pasta, uncooked
• 2 cups fresh broccoli florets
• 2-3 grilled chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces (or you could use a rotisserie chicken or any kind of cooked chicken you have available)
• 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes OR 1 large tomato cut into chunks
• 1 green pepper, cut into small pieces
• 1/2 of a 16 oz bottle of Italian salad dressing (we love Wishbone Robusto Italian)
• 4 oz of Colby Jack cheese, cut into tiny bite size pieces
• 1 small can of sliced black olives
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Preparation

Step 1

Cook pasta as directed on package, adding broccoli to the cooking water to the last 2 minutes. Drain water. Toss chicken, tomatoes, pepper, cheese, dressing, and olives together in a large bowl. Add pasta and broccoli, toss lightly. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and serve.