Chicken Pasta Salad

This is such a great dish for such a mundane name. It's easy and actually can be adjusted to what may be in the refrigerator. It's an oil and vinegar based salad so it's great to take to potlucks AND it can be a side salad if you omit the chicken.
I like bow tie or penne pasta for pasta salads because they are "forkable" and much easier to eat than long noodle pasta salads.
It's easy to do and except for the dressing, this salad doesn't have exact proportions. Red pepper, sliced thinly, asparagus, green onion (although I've used red onion when I didn't have any green) and, of course, chicken.

You poach the chicken and then in the same water, boil the asparagus just until it loses it's crispness and then shock the asparagus in ice water to stop the cooking and set the color, and lastly, add the pasta to the same water and cook until al dente.

Mix all together and then pour over the raspberry Dijon vinaigrette. Toss until the salad is well coated. (And I like to do it while the pasta is hot for I think it absorbs the vinaigrete better.)

The vinaigrette is really tasty -- not only on this salad but on lettuce salads as well. It does make a nice quantity of dressing and sometimes I have some left over which I put in a Mason jar and refrigerate. (Note: olive oil will set if refrigerated -- just take from the fridge about a half hour before dinner)

RASPBERRY DIJON VINAIGRETTE

2 t. Dijon
2 t. tarragon (prefer fresh but have used dried)
1 green onion, cut in chunks (both green and white)
1/2 cup Raspberry vinager
1 cup olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients together in a food processor until well blended.