tomato basil pasta salad

ingredients

ingredients

• 1 pound pasta
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes
• 1 cup fresh basil
• 8 ounces shredded mozzarella
• 1 pound cooked chicken
• balsamic glaze to taste

directions

1. 1 Cook the pasta according to package instructions, then strain and cool it quickly in an ice cold water bath.
2. 2 In a bowl, combine olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper, and minced garlic to make the dressing.
3. 3 Pour half of the dressing over the cooled pasta and mix well.
4. 4 Add cherry tomatoes, basil, and cubed fresh mozzarella to the pasta.
5. 5 Pour the remaining dressing over the salad and toss to combine.
6. 6 Top the salad with cooked chicken and drizzle with balsamic glaze, additional balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper to taste.