Southwestern Pasta Salad

Sometimes I surprise myself with my ingenuity. Take last night for instance. I was going to make Thai shrimp curry until I realized the red curry paste I thought I had in the refrigerator wasn't there and on top of that I really wasn't in the mood for shrimp anyway.  

With some chile lime chicken patties in the freezer from Trader Joe's to try, I figured we'd have chicken burgers instead but what to have as a "with" was the next issue. Pasta salad always goes over well in this household as evidenced by the number of different salads we have on this site, so a raid of the pantry resulted in this little beauty.

Creamy, crunchy, and subtly spiced, I simply combined red onion, thiny sliced multi colored mini sweet peppers, pearl tomatoes and corn and added it to cooked Radiatore. Dressed with a mixture of prepared salasa, mayo and our new favorite dried Chipotle chili powder along with some fresh chopped cilantro, it hit the fridge to mellow and chill out while the burgers hit the little red grill and Bob's your Uncle. Dinner's on!

See what you can do in a pinch? I was a might proud of myself too, but you probably already knew that didn't you.

Incidentally, if you're anywhere near a Trader Joe's, you've GOT to give the chicken burgers a try. Loaded with flecks of green chile and lime zest, they're a real hit on the barby. We loved 'em on a toasted soft roll slathered in mayo and dressed up with spicy relish, iceberg lettuce and sliced tomato. For the record this review of a Trader Joe's product is unsolicited on their part and we were not compensated in any way, other than the warm welcome and laughs we enjoy every Saturday morning when we shop there.

Southwestern Pasta Salad (an original from JBug’s Kitchen Antics)

4 ounces small pasta (I used Radiatore)

1-1/2 cups frozen corn

2/3 cup chopped red onion

1-1/2 cups pearl or cherry tomatoes

1 cup thinly sliced multi-colored peppers

1/4 cup prepared salsa

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/2 teaspoon chipotle chile powder

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Fresh lime juice to taste

Salt and course ground black pepper

Cook pasta according to package directions, throwing in the frozen corn during the last minute of cooking. Drain well and rinse with cold water. Move to a bowl along with red onion, tomatoes and peppers. Toss to combine. In a small bowl whisk together salasa, mayonnaise, chile powder, lime juice, salt and pepper. Pour over pasta mixture and toss to coat. Add chopped cilantro and toss again. Makes 4 to 6 servings.

A year ago -  Lemon Meringue Ice Cream Pie

Two year's ago - Mango Chutney

Comments

[Lorraine]

That salad looks super creamy and cool. I have found chipote powder as well...love it!

[June]

Boy, ya' gotta' watch that chipotle powder as it really heats up given a little time. The lunch portion of the salad had more kick.

[Lea]

Yummy - Cool and refreshing - a nice contrast to the sammie - I'm sold! I want both!

[June]

Lea - I know you'd have to leave the tomatoes out of the salad but you could add green chiles and switch to salsa verde and you'd have it made.