salad meals

Eat your greens! Adding main-dish salads to your meal plan each week makes it easy to get what you need.

Chicken, Spinach, and Pasta Salad

39g CARB

Serves 4

Total 30 min.

2 cups dried cavatappi or penne pasta (6 oz.)
Nonstick cooking spray
8 oz. skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
¼ cup chopped onion
1 clove garlic, minced
3 Tbsp. olive oil
3 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
3 Tbsp. snipped fresh basil or 2 tsp. dried basil, crushed
¼ tsp. salt
⅛ tsp. black pepper
1 6-oz. pkg. fresh baby spinach or spinach
1 cup seeded and chopped roma tomatoes
½ cup shredded Parmesan cheese (2 oz.)

1. Cook pasta according to package directions; drain. Rinse with cold water; drain again. Meanwhile, coat a 10-inch nonstick skillet with cooking spray; heat over medium. Add chicken, mushrooms, onion, and garlic; cook 8 to 10 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink and vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally. Cool slightly.

2. In an extra-large bowl combine cooked pasta and chicken mixture. For vinaigrette, in a screw-top jar combine oil, vinegar, basil, salt, and pepper. Cover and shake well.

3. Pour vinaigrette over pasta mixture; toss to coat. Add spinach, tomatoes, and Parmesan cheese; toss to combine.

PER SERVING (2½ cups each) cal 398, fat 15 g (4 g sat. fat), chol 49 mg, sodium 383 mg, carb 39 g (3 g fiber, 5 g sugars), pro 25 g