Even the pickiest eaters will dig into this Kid Friendly Pasta Salad full of chicken, cheese, and edamame!
Motherhood is glamorous, isn’t it? Why, just this morning I found myself in the bathroom, wearing ill-fitting pajama pants and a ratty hoodie, flushing the contents of a diaper while The Tall One rubbed my leg and told me how tickly and prickly it was. It was one of those moments when I ask myself, “Who are these people, and how did I get here?” One of the great things about kids is how they happily eat whatever you cook for them with a smile (said no mom ever). Well, I’m sure SOME moms say that, but not this one. My boys aren’t what you would call adventurous eaters. When I was shopping for Lemon Couscous Salad the other day, I tried to sell it to my oldest since he does like couscous. He was on board until he heard about the cucumber and tomato. He also seemed suspicious about the feta and said he didn’t want it to taste sour. Instead of trying to work around all those complaints, I made the kids their own pasta salad. Both boys LOVED this kid-friendly pasta salad recipe. I loved how easy it was to make, and I could also put leftovers in their lunches the next day. It’s a complete meal and finger friendly for little ones who haven’t quite mastered a fork. I hope your kids (and even the grown ups) enjoy it too!
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Kid Friendly Pasta Salad
This simple kid friendly pasta salad is a complete meal and easy for little ones to eat with their fingers.
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
Ingredients
- 8 ounces whole wheat or veggie pasta
- 3/4 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast tenders
- 1 teaspoon seasoned salt
- 3 tablespoons olive oil divided
- 1 1/2 cups edamame shelled and cooked
- 1 cup monterey jack cheese cut into 1/2” cubes
- kosher salt
- freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
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Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package directions, drain, and rinse with cold water.
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Meanwhile, toss chicken together with seasoned salt and 1 tbsp. olive oil. Cook chicken in a skillet or bake in a 350 degree oven until cooked through. Allow to cool slightly, then dice into small, bite-sized pieces.
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Add pasta, chicken, edamame, and cheese to a large bowl. Add remaining 2 tbsp. olive oil and salt and pepper to taste. Stir to evenly coat, and serve.
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 15
- Category: Main
- Cuisine: Pasta
Liz says
Love that you put edamame in this, Andi. And enjoyed reading your take on the glam side of motherhood. So true!
I might even be able to get that salad past my kids. Nice call on the ingredient combo :-)
The Weary Chef says
Thanks, Liz! I think most kids would like this since the ingredients are so simple. (I of course sampled it and would have gladly eaten a bowlful myself.) Edamame is one of the few vegetables that both kids will eat, so I use it often!
Justin Knight says
That sounds delicious. I wonder if my little picky eater will give it a try! :)
The Weary Chef says
Thanks for stopping by, Justin! My two picky boys ate this up, so I bet yours will like it too. Let me know if you give it a try!