Chicken, Bean, & Blue Cheese Pasta Salad w/ Sun-Dried Tomato Vinaigrette

Last nights meal was Chicken, Bean, & Blue Cheese Pasta Salad w/ Sun-Dried Tomato Vinaigrette.  It's from the Salads section of the Cooking Light, Fresh Food Fast cookbook.  I already think this is going to be one of my favorite books!  But I'll talk more about the book after I've made a few more things out of it.  Dinner was so quick to make & it was delicious!  I bought a rotisserie chicken & just used the skinless breast meat. I also used whole grain pasta, added a handful of fresh baby spinach and a little more balsamic & water. Enjoy!

Chicken, Bean, & Blue Cheese Pasta Salad w/ Sun-Dried Tomato Vinaigrette

• 1 1/2 cups uncooked rotini (corkscrew pasta)
• 1 1/2 cups (2-inch) cut green beans (about 6 ounces)
• 2 cups diced cooked chicken breast (about 3/4 pound)
• 1/4 cup (1 ounce) crumbled blue cheese (you can substitute feta or fresh mozzarella)
• 1/4 cup Sun-Dried Tomato Vinaigrette (see recipe below)
• Salt & Pepper to taste

Preparation

1. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Add beans during last 5 minutes of cooking. Drain pasta and beans; rinse with cold water until cool.

2. Combine pasta mixture and remaining ingredients; toss gently to coat.

Calories: 315, Fat: 9g

Sun-Dried Tomato Vinaigrette

• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon water
• 2 tablespoons chopped sun-dried tomatoes, packed without oil
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
• 1 tablespoon chopped red onion

Preparation

1. Combine first 3 ingredients in a small bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Stir in tomatoes, basil, and onion.