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Tri-color Pasta Salad with Chicken & Beets

Pasta salads can stand alone as a main course or are great as a side dish. This is a hearty and healthy recipe with lots of delicious and fabulous flavors. Thank you Kay B. from Little Rock Arkansas for the share.
Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 2 hours
Servings: 6 People

Ingredients
  

Pasta Salad
  • 4 Cups Spiral pasta uncooked
  • 1 Cup Grape tomatoes cut in half
  • 1 Cup Beets cooked and shredded
  • 1 Tbs Olive oil
  • 2 Carrots chopped
  • 1 Cup Shelled edamame cooked
  • 1/2 Cup Red onion diced
  • 1/2 Cup Parmesan cheese shredded
  • 2 Tbsp Fresh parsley chopped
  • 1/2 Cup Sun Dried Tomato Vinaigrette Dressing
  • 2 Cups Chicken Roasted and chopped
Sun-dried Tomato Vinaigrette
  • 2 Halves Sun-dried Tomato
  • 1 1/2 Tbs Balsamic vinegar
  • 11/2 Tbs Red wine vinegar
  • 1/2 Clove Garlic minced and mashed
  • 1/3 Cup Olive oil
  • 1 Tbs Basil leaves minced

Method
 

For the pasta
  1. Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F., wash the beets then place them on tinfoil, drizzle with olive oil, seal the tinfoil and bake for 35-40 minutes. The beets are done when you can poke with a fork.
  2. When the beets have cooled, peel and shred. We used a food processor.
  3. Cook pasta as directed on package.
  4. Cut the tomatoes.
  5. Cut the carrots.
  6. Chop the parsley.
  7. Shred the cheese.
  8. Dice the onion.
  9. Add the pasta, tomatoes, cheese, carrots and parsley.
  10. Add the edamame.
  11. Thoroughly mix together and add the dressing.
  12. Gently add the shredded beets.
  13. Add the chicken and serve.
For the dressing
  1. In a saucepan simmer the sun-dried tomatoes in 2 inches of water for 3 minutes, or until they are tender, drain, and mince.
  2. In a bowl, whisk together the tomatoes, basil, vinegars, and the garlic paste, add the oil in a stream and whisk the vinaigrette until it is emulsified.

Notes

Mix the beets in last and mix them gently. They will turn everything other than the carrots a beautiful color of red!