KJ x WTC Exclusive Recipe--SPRING VEGGIE & HERB PASTA SALAD

A joint recipe from your favorite foodies, Kale Junkie and Caro Chambers

My friend Caroline Chambers came over for lunch last week and we made this absolutely sensational pasta salad, right in time for Mother’s Day and all your spring dinners al fresco!!

Now, I am sure if you are reading this, you already know Caroline. She oh so casually just happens to be the number one food content creator here on Substack and she’s also a NYT best selling author. But more than the career accolades, she is one of the funniest and most genuine humans I’ve ever met. And yes, last week was the first time we met in person after months of chatting via Instagram—social media really does bring people together. We cooked, we laughed, we brainstormed ideas, shared info and it was so fun.

The highlight of our time together was filming this pasta salad recipe together. It’s giving major Spring vibes, with all the herbs and green veggies like asparagus and peas, and it’s tossed in a light lemon-tahini dressing! The best part is that it gets better and better over the course of a few days because the flavors of the dressing really soak in, making it perfect for meal prep too!

The recipe is below and if you are more of a visual person, you can watch the video, which will assist you in assembling this masterpiece!!

I hope you love it as much as we do ❤️

SPRING VEGGIE & HERB PASTA SALAD W/LEMON-TAHINI DRESSING

Serves 10

LEMON TAHINI DRESSING
1/3 cup olive oil
1/4 cup tahini
1/4 cup water
1 lemon juiced and zested
1 small shallot
2 cloves garlic
2 tsp maple syrup
1 tsp Dijon mustard
salt and pepper

SALAD

3/4 lb asparagus, ends trimmed and cut into 2 inch pieces
1 cup green peas, fresh or frozen
1 lb pasta of choice (we used rotini!)
1 can chickpeas, drained & rinsed
4 green onions, finely sliced
6 radishes, finely sliced into half moons
1/2 cup flat leaf parsley leaves, chopped
1/2 cup fresh dill, chopped
1/2 crumbled feta cheese
1 lb chicken breast, cubed

Step 1: Make the dressing

Blend all ingredients in small blender. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed and set aside. If the mixture ends up being a bit thick (common in tahini based sauces), just add water until you reach desired consistency .

Step 2: Prepare the chicken

Cube the chicken breasts into tiny bite sized pieces. Toss with 1/4 of the dressing. Cook in a cast-iron skillet until cooked through. Since chicken breast is on the drier side, once it is done cooking, let meat rest for a bit then take a fork and break it down/mash into smaller pieces in order for the meat to soak in the pan juices (see video).

Step 3: Make the pasta

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Once boiling, add the pasta—during the last two minutes of cook time, add the asparagus and peas. Let cook for around two minutes, then drain the pasta, peas and asparagus. Transfer to a large serving bowl.

Step 4: Build Your Salad

While you wait for the pasta to cook, use the time to chop up all your fresh herbs!

And finally, assemble your salad! In the bowl with the pasta, asparagus and peas, add the chickpeas, green onions, radishes, parsley, dill, and cooked chicken. Pour remaining dressing on top, toss, and add crumbled feta on top.

Serve and enjoy!

We hope you love this recipe and keep your eyes peeled on my Instagram, because next week we are co-hosting a giveaway of several copies of Caroline’s cookbook What to Cook When You Don’t Feel Like Cooking.