Chicken and Pasta Salad

This salad is one of our family's ultimate favorites. My sweet heart's mother introduced this deliciousness to me several years ago, and I've adapted it to our family's tastes. It is just as yummy as a left over as it is the first day (and may I add, one of the very few left overs my hubby will ever eat). Because of the chicken and pasta, this salad can easily be a side or main dish.

Let's get cooking!

Heat a skillet sprayed with non-stick spray. Put a tenderized boneless, skinless chicken breast on the hot skillet. Season with seasoned salt and pepper, or as desired.Cook the chicken on both sides, assuring that it is no longer pink inside.
Remove from heat and let it cool.

Cook one small package of desired pasta according to package directions. Drain and cool.
While the chicken and pasta are cooling, chop and prepare your other ingredients.

Chop up about 1/4-1/3 cup onion and put it in a large mixing bowl.
Wash and stem 2 bunches of grapes. We like the red grapes best in this particular salad, but any grapes work fine.Chop a head of lettuce. I prefer using Romaine for its hardiness and color. Set the lettuce aside.Put the cooled, drained pasta in the large mixing bowl.Put the grapes in the large bowl.Transfer the cooled chicken onto a cutting board.
Chop the chicken into bite sized pieces. Assure that it is completely cooled. If needed, let it sit while you prepare the dressing.Find your favorite ranch dressing, Miracle Whip, grated Parmesan cheese, and seasoned salt.In a small-ish bowl put about 1 cup of Miracle Whip. If you like your salad more moist, add more Miracle Whip.Add about 1-2 Tablespoons ranch dressing.Add 1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese.Add 1-2 teaspoons seasoned salt.(Remind me to get a new scraper! Yikes!)

Mix the dressing ingredients together until well incorporated.If you haven't already, add the cooled chicken to the grapes and pasta in the large bowl.
Pour the dressing over the ingredients in the large bowl and mix well.Here's the fun part: mix the lettuce into the pasta. It doesn't have to be well coated, and actually won't wilt as quickly if it isn't saturated in dressing.Enjoy!Chicken and Pasta Salad

1 boneless, skinless chicken breast (cut in two and tenderized)
seasonings for chicken
1 small package pasta (cooked and drained according to package directions)
2 bunches grapes
1/4-1/3 cup chopped onion
1 cup Miracle Whip
1-2 T. ranch dressing
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1-2 t. seasoned salt
1 head lettuce

Cook chicken. Cool and chop into bite sized pieces.

Put cooked, drained, and cooled pasta into a large mixing bowl. Add grapes (washed and stemmed) and onion to pasta. Add chopped and cooled cooked chicken to bowl.

Mix Miracle Whip, ranch dressing, Parmesan cheese, and seasoned salt in a small bowl. Pour over ingredients in large mixing bowl and incorporate well.

Add chopped head of lettuce to large bowl and stir.

Refrigerate or serve immediately. Stores well in covered container in refrigerator for up to four days.