Crispy Pasta Tzatziki Salad by Ruan Goosen

Ruan Goosen’s Crispy Pasta Tzatziki Salad

A bold, fresh salad with creamy tzatziki, crispy pasta, roasted chicken, and bacon. Crunchy, salty, creamy, and bright all in one bowl.

Ingredients

1. Tzatziki

• ½ cup Greek yogurt

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 2 tablespoons lemon juice

• 2 teaspoons crushed garlic

• ½ cucumber, grated

• Salt, to taste

2. Salad

• About 1 cup cooked pasta - conchiglie (kon-KEE-lyeh), "seashells" in Italian.

• 1 packet bacon

• 2 marinated chicken breasts

• Olive oil

• Seasoning of choice

• 1 large bowl baby spinach

• Feta cheese, crumbled

• Hard Italian cheese such as Parmigiano Reggiano, finely grated

Instructions

In a bowl, mix the Greek yogurt, olive oil, lemon juice, crushed garlic, grated cucumber, and salt until smooth. Place the tzatziki in the fridge and allow it to rest for 30 minutes so the flavors develop.

Boil the pasta according to package instructions. Drain well and allow it to cool slightly. Drizzle a little olive oil over the pasta, add your preferred seasoning, and toss to coat. Place the pasta in the air fryer at 200°C for about 15 minutes, or until golden brown and crispy. Remove and allow the pasta to cool.

While the pasta is boiling, place the two marinated chicken breasts in the air fryer and cook for about 20 minutes, until cooked through. At the same time, fry the bacon in a pan low and slow until crispy. Once cooked, place the chicken and bacon in the fridge to cool.

When the chicken has cooled, shred or finely chop it into small pieces and chop or crumble the bacon.

To assemble the salad, fill a large bowl with baby spinach, then add the crispy pasta, shredded chicken, and bacon. Crumble feta cheese over the top, spoon over the tzatziki sauce, and finish by grating a generous amount of Parmigiano or another hard Italian cheese over everything. Toss well so everything is coated in the tzatziki dressing and serve immediately. Recommended to serve with a ice cold Chardonnay.