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Chicken-Thyme-Penne Salad

Betty Crocker Kitchens
Updated Mar 24, 2009
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It's "thyme" for chicken salad! Make this crunchy and flavor-packed salad a day ahead for a super time-saver.

Chicken-Thyme-Penne Salad

  • Prep Time 25 min
  • Total 4 hr 25 min
  • Servings 12
  • Ingredients 13
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Ingredients

  • 3 cups uncooked penne pasta (10 oz)
  • 4 cups cubed deli rotisserie chicken (from two 2- to 2 1/2-lb chickens)
  • 2 cups seedless red grapes, cut in half
  • 2 medium stalks celery, sliced (1 cup)
  • 1/3 cup chopped onion (1 small)
  • 3 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh or 2 teaspoons dried thyme leaves, crushed
  • 1 1/4 cups reduced-fat mayonnaise or salad dressing
  • 1 tablespoon milk
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 1 tablespoon coarse-grained mustard
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup chopped walnuts, toasted

Instructions

  • Step 
    1
    Cook and drain pasta as directed on package. Rinse with cold water; drain.
  • Step 
    2
    In very large (4-quart) bowl, mix pasta, chicken, grapes, celery and onion. In small bowl, mix oil and 1 tablespoon of the fresh thyme (or 1 teaspoon of the dried thyme). Pour oil mixture over chicken mixture; toss to coat.
  • Step 
    3
    In small bowl, mix mayonnaise, milk, honey, mustard, salt and remaining thyme. Cover chicken mixture and mayonnaise mixture separately; refrigerate at least 4 hours but no longer than 24 hours.
  • Step 
    4
    Up to 2 hours before serving, toss chicken mixture and mayonnaise mixture. Cover; refrigerate until serving. Just before serving, stir in 3/4 cup of the walnuts. Sprinkle salad with remaining walnuts.

Nutrition

400 Calories
22g Total Fat
19g Protein
30g Total Carbohydrate
7g Sugars

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size: 1 Serving
Calories
400
Calories from Fat
200
Total Fat
22g
34%
Saturated Fat
3 1/2g
17%
Trans Fat
0g
Cholesterol
50mg
16%
Sodium
610mg
26%
Potassium
270mg
8%
Total Carbohydrate
30g
10%
Dietary Fiber
2g
9%
Sugars
7g
Protein
19g
% Daily Value*:
Vitamin A
4%
4%
Vitamin C
6%
6%
Calcium
4%
4%
Iron
10%
10%
Exchanges:
1 1/2 Starch; 0 Fruit; 1/2 Other Carbohydrate; 0 Skim Milk; 0 Low-Fat Milk; 0 Milk; 0 Vegetable; 0 Very Lean Meat; 2 Lean Meat; 0 High-Fat Meat; 3 Fat;
Carbohydrate Choice
2
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

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