Chicken Pasta Salad with Basil Vinaigrette

For the vinaigrette:

Place garlic in a blender or food processor and blend until chopped. Add mustard, vinegar, water, seasoning, salt and pepper. Process until smooth. Open the feed tube on top of the blender and slowly drizzle in olive oil. Add fresh basil and process until smooth. Set aside in refrigerator until ready to use.

Salad:
If using chicken breasts, marinate breasts in 1/4 cup of the vinaigrette. When ready, cook chicken breast over medium heat until brown on both sides and no longer pink in the middle. About 10 minutes per side. Chop and refrigerate until cold.

In a large bowl toss cooked, rinsed and drained pasta with 1/2 cup vinaigrette. Add cucumber, bell pepper, red onion, artichoke hearts, olives, spinach, cherry tomatoes, cheese and cooked chicken once cold. If using salami it will be added at this time. Toss with remaining vinaigrette. Cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hours or overnight.