The most amazing avocado pasta salad

• servings: 10 servings

Ingredients

500 g / 1 lb spiral pasta (or other of choice)

1 tbsp cooking / kosher salt (for cooking water)

1 1/3 cups avocado (smush in cup measures, ~ 1 1/2 avocados, Note 1)

1/2 cup buttermilk (sub yogurt + milk, Note 2)

1/3 cup whole egg mayonnaise (just a bit! Note 3)

3 tbsp lemon juice (sub cider vinegar)

1 1/2 garlic cloves (, finely grated or minced)

1/2 tsp onion powder

1 1/4 tsp cooking salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

1/4 cup dill (, finely chopped, Note 4)

2 x 250g/8oz chicken breasts (, skinless boneless)

1/2 tsp smoked paprika (sub ordinary)

1/2 tsp cooking salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

250 g / 8 oz streaky bacon

6 eggs

250 g / 8 oz cherry tomato (, halved)

1/4 red onion (, very finely sliced)

1 celery stem (, finely sliced 0.5 cm / 1/5")

1/4 cup dill (, finely chopped, Note 4)

Directions

Chicken & crispy bacon:

Pre-heat the oven to 220°C/430°F (200°C fan-forced).

Bacon: Place bacon slices on a rack set on an oven tray. Bake 20 minutes or until deep golden and crispy, then remove from the oven and let it cool - it will get crispier. Then chop into 1 cm / 1/3" pieces.

Pound chicken: Cover chicken with baking paper then pound to 1.5 cm / 3/5" even thickness using a meat mallet, rolling pin or cast iron pan.

Season: Mix the paprika, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Place chicken on a baking tray, drizzle then rub with half the oil. Sprinkle with seasoning, then repeat on the other side.

Bake the chicken for 12 minutes or until the internal temperature is 67°C/153°F. Remove from the tray and rest for 5 minutes then cut into 4 x 1cm / 2.5 x 1/2" pieces.

Cook pasta:

Bring a large pot of water to the boil then add the 1 tablespoon of salt. Cook the pasta per the packet time plus 2 minutes (Note 5).

Drain, rinse under water then leave to drain well and cool.

Boil eggs:

9 minutes: Bring a large saucepan of water to boil. Lower eggs in using a slotted spoon then start the timer for 9 minutes. Reduce stove heat so eggs are not bouncing around so much that the shells crack.

Peel in cold water: Remove eggs using a slotted spoon into a large bowl or sink of cold water (iced water is best, but I never waste ice on eggs!). Leave for 5 minutes then peel while submerged under water, it's easier.

Pat dry then cut eggs into quarters.

Dressing:

Place all ingredients except the dill into a container just large enough to fit the head of a stick blender. Blitz until the avocado is smooth.

Add dill and jus blitz to mix through. Taste and adjust salt, if needed.

Toss:

Place the pasta and dressing in a very large bowl along with everything else EXCEPT the eggs. Toss gently to combine.

Add eggs, then toss gently to disperse. Serve!

Nutrition

• Calories: 522 kcal
• Total Fat: 25 g
• Saturated Fat: 6 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 18 g
• Trans Fat: 1 g
• Cholesterol: 159 mg
• Sodium: 995 mg
• Total Carbohydrate: 43 g
• Dietary Fiber: 3 g
• Total Sugars: 3 g
• Protein: 30 g