Name: Mexican Chicken Orzo Salad
Yield: 8 (1-cup) servings
Ingredients: 4 cups cooked orzo pasta; 2 cups chopped skinless rotisserie chicken breast; 1 cup chopped tomatoes; 1 cup frozen corn (thawed); 1/4 cup chopped red onions; 1/2 cup chopped green onions; 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard; 2 tablespoons lime juice; 1 tablespoon olive oil; 1 tablespoon chopped jalapeño pepper; 1/2 teaspoon chili powder; 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

Light Healthy Pasta Salad Using Rotisserie Chicken

Have a few pantry and fresh ingredients and looking for a light and filling pasta salad? Mexican Chicken Orzo Salad from the Rapid Rotisserie Chicken chapter in Holly Clegg’s KITCHEN 101 cookbook makes the best quick and easy meal! Gather your pantry friendly ingredients, toss in some effortless protein-rich rotisserie chicken and whatever fresh veggies you have on hand for the best pasta salad. This easy lunch or dinner recipe comes together in minutes for a quick healthy meal that can feed a crowd!

Mexican Chicken Orzo Salad

A great group-pleasing pasta salad with tomatoes, corn and chicken tossed with a light southwestern lime vinaigrette.

Servings 8 (1-cup) servings

Ingredients

4 cups cooked orzo pasta
2 cups chopped skinless rotisserie chicken breast
1 cup chopped tomatoes
1 cup frozen corn thawed
1/4 cup chopped red onions
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon chopped jalapeño pepper
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

Servings 8 (1-cup) servings

Ingredients

4 cups cooked orzo pasta
2 cups chopped skinless rotisserie chicken breast
1 cup chopped tomatoes
1 cup frozen corn thawed
1/4 cup chopped red onions
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon chopped jalapeño pepper
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

Instructions

In large bowl, combine orzo, chicken, tomatoes, corn, red onion and green onions.
In small bowl, whisk Dijon, lime juice, olive oil, jalapeno, chili powder and cumin. Pour dressing over pasta mixture, tossing to mix.

Nutritional Info

Calories 258, Calories from Fat 14%, Fat 4g, Saturated Fat 1g, Cholesterol 32mg, Sodium 170mg, Carbohydrates 39g, Dietary Fiber 2g, Total Sugars 4g, Protein 17g, Dietary Exchanges: 2 1/2 starch, 1 1/2 lean meat

Terrific Tip: Orzo pasta, a larger rice shaped grain, can be found in the pasta section of your grocery and is a great option for pasta salads. Any small pasta may be substituted.

Perfect Dinnertime Cookbook with Easy Healthy Recipes

Kitchen 101: Secrets to Cooking Confidence contains several delicious yet simple recipes like this Rotisserie Chicken Pot Pie recipe which make it the best easy dinnertime cookbook. There is a whole chapter just for Rotisserie Chicken Recipes! Rotisserie chicken as a healthy high protein ingredient is a favorite time saver.

Even if you don’t have orzo on hand, Lee with Team Holly made this pasta salad recipe recently using quinoa and it was so yummy! Quinoa is technically a seed that can act like a grain or pasta in recipes but is gluten free and full of fiber and protein.