Summer has arrived! Well sort of…for us in the Seattle area we are sort of still waiting. At any rate, picnics and barbecues are filling up the calendar over the next couple of months. Pasta salad is a quick and easy dish for get-togethers. Thanks to Ronzoni, I have a new recipe to add to my arsenal. It will definitely be used as a take along dish because my husband and kids weren’t big fans but I thought it was really good!
Southwest Chicken Pasta Salad
Ingredients:
1 box (12 oz) Ronzoni Garden Delight Penne Pasta
1 Cup prepared salsa
8 oz plain low-fat yogurt
2 cups cooked, diced chicken
1 can (15 ounces) corn, drained
1 can (15 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup green onions, sliced
1 can (2.25 ounces) black olives, drained
1/2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
Tortilla chips, optional
Directions:
Prepare pasta according to the package directions.
In a medium bowl, whisk together salsa and yogurt. In a large bowl combine pasta, chicken, corn, black beans, green onions, and black olives. Fold in dressing. Top with cheddar cheese and cilantro. Serve with tortilla chips, if desired.
I left out the onions and cilantro and served this as dinner. It’s got lots of protein and covered most of the food groups. I’m not sure why my family didn’t like it. There wasn’t anything in it that the kids didn’t like. I think the beans were what turned the Hubs off. It’s a bummer because I thought it was yummy and I would have loved to add it to the summer dinner rotation!
Ronzoni has a number of healthy pasta options:
- Garden Delight Pasta- made from carrots, tomatoes and spinach, it includes a full serving of vegetables in each 4 oz portion. Available in spaghetti, fettuccine, rotini, raditore and penne rigate.
- Healthy Harvest-This whole grain pasta has three times the fiber of regular pasta and is heart-check certified by the American Heart Association. Available in spaghetti, thin spaghetti, linguini, lasagna, penne rigate, rotini, wide noodles, fusilli and extra wide noodles.
- Smart Taste- White pasta is enriched with fiber, calcium and vitamin D. Available in elbows, rotini,spaghetti, thin spaghetti, penne rigate, angel hair and extra wide noodles.
For more information including coupons and recipes visit www.ronzoni.newworldpasta.com.
What types of pasta salads do you like to take to summer gatherings?
We are giving away a variety of Ronzoi Pastas in an insulated tote bag. Enter the giveaway by filling out the form below. Also, be sure to check out all of our other giveaways.
This giveaway is open until July 6, 2011 at 11:59 pm CST to U.S residents.
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A complimentary product/service was provided for this review, however, all opinions expressed are our own. We were not compensated in any other way. See Mommies With Cents disclosure policy for more details.
You should post some of the best recipes you get…after I entered I found myself wondering what other people wrote as their go-to-pasta salad recipes!
Good idea Linda! I’ll try to compile a post but most people didn’t leave the actual recipe, just the name of the salad.