Wednesday, January 5, 2011

Cilantro Chicken Pasta Recipe

I got this recipe from The Frugal Girl's blog. She's somewhat of a domestic goddess, so I haven't tried too many of her recipes. This is an easy one, so I tried it. She adjusted the recipe, and then I adjusted it further. :) I just finished having it for dinner and it was great! It makes a ton as well, so there is plenty of leftovers.
Cilantro Chicken Pasta Salad
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro (I used way more...like half a bunch. Because I like cilantro)
1 tablespoon chopped thyme (FG used 1 teaspoon dried, I didn't have any, so I left it out)
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 shallots, minced
1 tablespoon dry white wine (or a splash of the white wine that was in my fridge)
2 tablespoons white whine vinegar (I used red because it's what I had)
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil plus 3 tablespoons (divided use)
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
9 ounces dried pasta, such as penne (I used large shells that were sitting in my cupboard)
1 15 ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 medium red bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1/4 inch strips (I used a whole red bell pepper)
1/2 medium yellow bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1/4 inch strips (Used a whole one of these too)
1 small carrot, coarsely chopped (I skipped this)
5 tomatillos, husked, rinsed, cored, and diced (FG skipped these and added avocado instead...me too!)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil (I used dried)
8 ounces cooked chicken breast, preferably smoked, diced (I used the last of my Thanksgiving turkey that I had frozen. However, I actually think this would be better as a vegetarian dish.)
1 cup oven dried tomatoes (can sub. sun-dried tomatoes, softened in hot water)
1 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed (I just threw in the whole 10oz bag)


Combine cilantro, thyme, 1 tablespoon of basil, minced garlic, and shallots in a bowl. Whisk in the wine, both vinegars, and 1/4 cup of olive oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Cook the pasta in salted water until al dente. Drain, and place in large serving bowl. Toss with the remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil and set aside to cool.
When the pasta is cool, add the black beans, vegetables, smoked chicken, and basil. Toss with the vinaigrette and season to taste.
Cover the salad and refrigerate to chill for at least twenty minutes. The longer it's in there the more flavorful it becomes.

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