Chicken and Spinach Pasta Salad

Name: Chicken and Spinach Pasta Salad
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 6 servings.
Ingredients: 8 ounces uncooked whole wheat rotini; 1/2 cup hummus; 3 tablespoons Italian salad dressing; 1/4 teaspoon salt; 1/8 teaspoon pepper; 4 cups fresh baby spinach; 1 cup cubed cooked chicken breast; 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved; 1 can (2-1/4 ounces) sliced ripe olives, drained; 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese

My family loves pasta salads, but usually they have too much mayonnaise or oily dressing. Using hummus gives this dish a great taste and texture, while also increasing its nutritional profile. Adding chicken (store-bought rotisserie chicken works well), makes this pasta salad a complete meal. —Jenny Lynch, Rock Island, Illinois

Ingredients

8 ounces uncooked whole wheat rotini
1/2 cup hummus
3 tablespoons Italian salad dressing
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
4 cups fresh baby spinach
1 cup cubed cooked chicken breast
2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
1 can (2-1/4 ounces) sliced ripe olives, drained
1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese

Directions

Cook pasta according to package directions for al dente. Drain and rinse with cold water.
Combine hummus, salad dressing, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Add pasta; toss to coat. Stir in spinach, chicken, tomatoes and olives. Sprinkle with feta. Serve immediately.

Test Kitchen tips

It's OK to chill the salad before serving, but the pasta will absorb some of the dressing. If needed, add more right before serving.

Experiment with different flavors of hummus like roasted red pepper or spicy hummus for a little kick.

Nutrition Facts

1-1/2 cups: 263 calories, 6g fat (1g saturated fat), 20mg cholesterol, 405mg sodium, 35g carbohydrate (3g sugars, 7g fiber), 16g protein. Diabetic exchanges: 2 starch, 1 lean meat, 1 fat.

Reviews

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Average Rating:

angela32

Jul 30, 2018

I absolutely loved this recipe, however my fellas didn't. I will make this again, but I'll halve the recipe since it will be just me eating it. I thought it was great though. Would be wonderful for a potluck!
sgronholz

Jul 26, 2018

We thought this recipe was good! I used my homemade roasted red pepper hummus in the dressing and mixed it in with the pasta the night before. When I was ready to serve the salad, I simply stirred in a little more Italian dressing. A nice change of pace from mayonnaise-based dressings and something I'll make again!
annrms

Jul 26, 2018

I cut the recipe down to serve two and made composed salads instead of combining all in a large bowl. With the dressing "on the side" we were able to use what we wanted. The dressing is so delicious! Will definitely make this again.
bonito15

Jul 13, 2018

Love this recipe - my family is not a hummus fan but i was able to sneak it into this and they all loved it - the feta makes it so special and they always love a pasta salad - this is a keeper