Orecchiette with Grilled Chicken, Shrimp & Dill

Back in April a very dear friend gave me the Barefoot Contessa's "How Easy Is That?" cookbook to celebrate my melanoma-free clearance from surgery.  (Yay!)   I've been drooling over the recipes and finally had a chance to make one.  I've adapted the Lobster & Shells recipe to fit my family's budget--lobster might be "very summer in the Hamptons" as Ina says, but, well, I don't live in the Hamptons...  :D  Here's my version; I think it has all the flavor of the original but is a much more manageable recipe for a family.

Orecchiette with Grilled Chicken, Shrimp & Dill

Salt

Olive Oil

1/2  pound  small pasta shells (I used orecchiette; any small shell shape will work as long as the corn can get stuck inside them)

3  Cups  Corn Kernels  (I used a 1-pound bag of Fire-Roasted Corn from Trader Joe's.  Mmm...! that subtle smokey flavor adds so much to the salad)

3/4 Cup Mayonnaise

1/2 Cup Sour Cream

6  Green Onions, thinly sliced

1  Red Bell Pepper, seeded and small-diced

2  Cups  Cherry Tomatoes, halved

1/2  pound  Cooked Shrimp, roughly chopped  (if you can, buy a bag of broken shrimp pieces; it is cheaper and faster)

1/2  pound  Grilled Chicken breast, diced  (an excellent way to use up that left-over chicken from last night!)

1/4  Cup  Lemon Juice

Black Pepper to taste

1 1/2  Tablespoons  Dried Dill Weed, or to taste

Cook Pasta in boiling water with Salt and Olive Oil until al dente; drain and place in mixing bowl.  Add the Corn to the hot Pasta.  Gently stir in the Mayonnaise and Sour Cream, allow to cool slightly.  Add in the Green Onions, Red Bell Pepper, Cherry Tomatos, Shrimp, and Chicken.  Taste; add in Lemon Juice, Black Pepper and Dill to taste.  Serve chilled or at room temperature.  Serves 8. 

Thank you, dear Aria Gardens for sharing this lovely cookbook with me!