Kowalski's Cherry Chicken Pasta Salad

Inspiration:
A favorite dish at D'Amico and Sons deli, and a recipe found at Kowalski's market.

Ingredients:

• 1 (16 oz.) box rigatoni pasta
• 1 lb. cooked chicken breast, diced
• 1 (8-9 oz.) pkg. dried cherries
• 3/4 cup chopped sweet yellow onion
• 3/4 cup chopped celery
• 2 cups mayonnaise
• 2 tbs. Dijon mustard
• 1/4 cup baker's sugar
• 2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. cracked black pepper
• 1/2 tsp. poppy seeds
• 1 cup toasted almonds, divided

Instructions:

1. Prepare pasta according to package directions; rinse with cold water and drain.
2. In large bowl, combine pasta, chicken, cherries, onion and celery.
3. In small bowl, combine mayonnaise, mustard, sugar, salt, pepper and poppy seeds until thoroughly combined.
4. Stir salad dressing into salad ingredients along with 3/4 cup almonds; top with remaining almonds.

Notes: Next time I will decrease the mayonnaise to 1 1/2 cups.

Tim's Rating: 9.5/10
Liz's Rating: 9.5/10