Is it Pasta? Is it a Salad? Is it a Pasta Salad?

My husband and I are leaving on a tropical vacation in a couple of weeks, and are just vain enough to want to make sure we'll look decent in our bathing suits.  So, we've been trying to eat lighter for the past few weeks.  Now, I know what you're thinking:  pasta isn't the way to lose weight.  But, this dish can take as little or as much pasta as you want to add.  That's why I am not sure whether to call it a salad or a pasta.  If you decide to use a pound of pasta, I guess it's really a pasta dish.  But if you want to keep it on the lighter side, you could use just a 1/2 pound of pasta and add more zucchini, spinach and/or chicken breast.   I'll write it out with the quantities I used the other night.  It was enough to be dinner for two adults and two kids.  

Zucchini, Chicken, and Pasta Salad

(serves 2-4)

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons olive oil

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

Salt and pepper

2-3 zucchini, thinly sliced

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast

1 cup, chopped fresh spinach

2 scallions, minced

1/2 pound pasta (you can use long pasta like linguine, or short pasta like penne)

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

-- Add pasta to pot of boiling, salted water.

-- While pasta cooks, whisk together the 1/4 cup of olive oil and lemon juice in a large bowl.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  

-- Add zucchini, and toss to coat.  Let rest while cooking the chicken

-- In a large non-stick skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat.  Season the chicken with salt and pepper.  

-- Cook chicken until golden on both sides, and cooked through.

-- Remove chicken from skillet and slice into thin pieces.

-- Once pasta is cooked to al dente, drain and add to zucchini mixture.  Toss with another tablespoon of olive oil to make sure pasta doesn't get sticky.  

-- Add chicken, spinach, scallions, Parmesan to bowl.  Mix and serve warm or let cool and serve at room temperature.  

What I like about this recipe is that it is so versatile and lends itself to additions and substitutions.  For instance, instead of using regular olive oil and a lemon, I used my favorite Meyer lemon infused olive oil.  If you want more veggies, you could include more spinach or zucchini.  You could even add sweet English peas or yellow crookneck squash as well.  You can adjust the amount of pasta depending on whether you're looking for a one-dish meal, or a side.  You can eat it warm or at room temperature.  And, I am pretty sure that it would make a good dish for a potluck.  In fact, I have one coming up next week -- I think I know what I'll bring!