Who knew you could combine your favorite side salad with a a bit of pasta, and make a bit of kitchen magic like this Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad. It’s quick, easy, and so darn tasty. It’s a perfect family supper side dish, or an equally yummy lighter meal option.
Pasta salad is one of the most easily adaptable side dishes out there, both the ingredients and to any occasion. Step up your pasta salad game with this creamy Crunchy Doritos Taco Pasta Salad. Featuring seasoned ground beef, crushed Doritos, and fresh veggies tossed in a creamy dressing- it’s a real family & potluck pleaser.
It’s quick and easy, it’s creamy pasta Heaven. Studded with crispy crackles of bacon, chunks of tender juicy chicken, and bound together with a thick Caesar dressing- it’s a full meal that masquerades as a hot pasta salad.
Rich and creamy, with a surprisingly sweet and yummy sauce– Aunt Gert’s Sweet Macaroni Salad is the recipe you want to have on hand for Spring picnics and Summer barbecues.
If you grew up in the South pasta salad was and still is a staple, but it typically just involves plain pasta and some sort o mayonnaise base. Shake things up with this fun new twist- Pepperoni & Basil Tortellini Salad, in a creamy Caesar dressing with sliced sweet grape tomatoes too.
Mediterranean Tortellini Pasta Salad makes a filling vegetarian meal, or a flavor-packed Summer side dish. With bright, fresh veggies, cheese filled tortellini pasta, and salty feta cheese tossed in a Greek-style red wine vinaigrette this is bound to be the headliner of any menu.
A perfect summer salad, this Ranch Pasta Salad is chock full of fresh vegetables. It’s a fan favorite at any barbecue or neighborhood gathering, and it doubles as a hearty warm-weather lunch or a light vegetarian supper.
Don’t you just love a good pasta salad? They just seem so summery to me. Whether as a light side with dinner, or as a lunch. My favorite though are the heartier versions where I can dump everything in, give it a good solid stir, and after it’s cold… voila! Dinner is served. Pasta salad literally provides endless possibilities for new flavor combinations and ingredients. It makes me so happy, like kid on Christmas morning happy. This particular pasta is one of my personal favorites. It also happens to include one of our favorite ways to season/prepare chicken. It’s so simple too!
Generously season your chicken breasts with taco or fajita seasoning, and then bake them for 30 minutes at 350 degrees, or until cooked through. While having some on hand does give me an extra excuse to whip up one of our favorite pasta salads, we just genuinely like it that much. I love to dice it up and toss it in with some lettuce to make a nice hearty salad. The hubs uses it to make his own little protein packs to take to work. For the pasta salad though, you can make it all at once, or cook your chicken as much as a couple days ahead of time and have it ready to go.
Seriously, just look at those juicy slices of perfectly cooked chicken.
Have you ever heard the saying, ‘Eat your colors’? Fresh ingredients can be so vibrant, and I’m really starting to notice the burst of intense, natural flavor they add to our meals. My favorite chicken, vine-ripened tomatoes, bacon, and a Mexican blend of cheeses over a bed of pasta. Oh the intensity! They all combine beautifully with just a tiny bit of help from the special sauce.
Now, for the moment you’ve all been waiting for… the recipe!
Southwestern Chicken Pasta Salad
recipe adapted from Recipes for our Daily Bread
3 chicken breasts, seasoned with taco or fajita seasoning
1/2 pound of bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled
12 oz package of spiral pasta
1/2 cup Ranch dressing (not dry mix)
1/2 cup salsa, regular NOT a fruity blend
1 teaspoon taco or fajita seasoning
1 fresh tomato, chopped
1 cup shredded Mexican blend cheese, or cheddar cheese
Directions
1. Generously season the chicken with either taco or fajita seasoning and bake for 30 minutes, or until cooked through, at 350 degrees.
2. Allow the cooked chicken to cool slightly and then dice.
3. Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Set aside to cool.
4. Cook the bacon until it’s nice and crispy. Allow grease to drain by putting the cooked bacon on some paper towels and when cool, crumble it.
5. Chop the tomato.
6. In a a large bowl combine all ingredients, stirring to mix everything together.
That’s it! Told ya, simple. While it’s great straight away, it tastes best when allowed to chill. It’s just as good if made the night before and left to refrigerate overnight.
This recipe was taken over to Fiesta Friday # 24 which is hosted every Friday by Angie on The Novice Gardener.
Sometimes I want a lightened up casserole, that’s still hearty- which is where this Creamy Tuna Noodle Casserole comes in. Served hot or cold, it’s an easy dinner the whole family looks forward to that can also serves a crowd.
