Pasta Salad

PASTA SALAD IS a summertime staple. It’s perfect for those blistering days and sticky nights when you need a quick, cool meal that is light but satisfying. I wanted to make a hearty, tasty version that functioned as a complete meal, but it had to be easy—both to make and to clean up.

For many of us, a meal isn’t complete without a protein, and quick-cooking chicken breasts made sense here. I started by gently poaching three boneless, skinless breasts in water in a Dutch oven;