Chicken Pasta Salad with Mushrooms and Vegetables

Ingredients

• 400 g spaghetti
• 1 cucumber
• 4 Spring Onions
• 300 g Mushrooms
• 4 ripe tomatoes
• 1 large garlic clove
• a handful of basil
• 300 g chicken breast fillet
• olive oil (cold‑pressed)
• 4 tbsp Lemon juice
• Salt
• freshly ground pepper

Instructions

1. 1.

   Wash the cucumber and shave it into thin slices. Clean the spring onions, trim them, and cut into 1–2 cm pieces. Wash two tomatoes, blanch, core, and roughly chop the flesh. Cut the remaining two tomatoes in half, core, and dice finely; set aside. Peel the garlic clove, coarsely crush it, and grind with a pinch of salt and basil leaves in a mortar. Add the peeled tomato pieces and mash or grate together. Mix 5 tbsp oil with the mortar contents, lemon juice, 2 tbsp water, a little more salt (if needed), and pepper.

2. 2.

   Place the chicken breast fillet in boiling salted water and cook for 5–6 minutes until done. Remove and shred with a fork or slice into thin strips.

3. 3.

   Clean and halve the mushrooms. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a pan and brown the mushrooms until golden. Season with salt and pepper.

4. 4.

   Cook the pasta in plenty of salted water until very al dente, then drain, reserving some cooking water. Toss the noodles in a large bowl with the mushrooms, dressing, and 2–3 tbsp reserved water as needed. Stir frequently and let cool slightly (warm but not hot). Add another 2 tbsp cooking water, then fold in the chicken, cucumber slices, tomato cubes, and spring onions. Season again with salt and pepper and serve immediately.