Black Bean-chicken Pasta Salad With Creamy Cilantro Dressing

Total Time: 40 mins Preparation Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 20 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 6
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast, sliced into 1/2-inch strips
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups rigatoni pasta (medium tubes, 16 oz.)
• 1 large tomato, chopped (1 cup)
• 1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained

Recipe

• 1 prepare dressing. heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
• 2 cook chicken in hot oil for 6-8 minutes , stirring occasionally, until no longer pink in th center. toss chicken, chili powder, garlic and salt. (add more seasonings to taste if you wish) set chicken aside.
• 3 cook and drain pasta as directed on package. rinse with cold water.
• 4 mix pasta, chicken,dressing, tomato and beans. enjoy!
• 5 creamy cilantro-pesto dressing.
• 6 1 1/2 cups chopped cilantro (3/4 cup dried).
• 7 1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese.
• 8 1/3 cups pine nuts.
• 9 1/3 cup olive oil.
• 10 1/4 cup whipping cream **.
• 11 1 teaspoons grated lemon peel.
• 12 1 tbsp.lemon juice ***.
• 13 1/8 teaspoons ground red pepper.
• 14 2 cloves garlic.
• 15 place all above ingredients in a food processor or blender.
• 16 cover and process until smooth.