Chicken-Thyme-Penne Salad

It's "thyme" for chicken salad! Make this crunchy and flavor-packed salad a day ahead for a super time-saver.

Prep Time

Minutes

Total Time

4:25

Hrs:Mins

Makes

servings

cups uncooked penne pasta (10 oz)

cups cubed deli rotisserie chicken (from two 2- to 2 1/2-lb chickens)

cups seedless red grapes, cut in half

medium stalks celery, sliced (1 cup)

1/3

cup chopped onion (1 small)

tablespoons olive or vegetable oil

tablespoons chopped fresh or 2 teaspoons dried thyme leaves, crushed

1 1/4

cups reduced-fat mayonnaise or salad dressing

tablespoon milk

tablespoon honey

tablespoon coarse-grained mustard

teaspoon salt

cup chopped walnuts, toasted

Cook and drain pasta as directed on package. Rinse with cold water; drain.
In very large (4-quart) bowl, mix pasta, chicken, grapes, celery and onion. In small bowl, mix oil and 1 tablespoon of the fresh thyme (or 1 teaspoon of the dried thyme). Pour oil mixture over chicken mixture; toss to coat.
In small bowl, mix mayonnaise, milk, honey, mustard, salt and remaining thyme. Cover chicken mixture and mayonnaise mixture separately; refrigerate at least 4 hours but no longer than 24 hours.
Up to 2 hours before serving, toss chicken mixture and mayonnaise mixture. Cover; refrigerate until serving. Just before serving, stir in 3/4 cup of the walnuts. Sprinkle salad with remaining walnuts.

Makes 12 servings (1 cup each)

Make the Most of This Recipe With Tips From The Betty Crocker^® Kitchens

How-To

To toast walnuts, bake uncovered in an ungreased shallow pan at 350°F for 6 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden brown.

Special Touch

Garnish the salad with 1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese for a sophisticated flavor.

How-To

This salad is great for a potluck! Just tote along the walnuts to stir in once you're at the gathering.

Nutrition Information:

1 Serving (1 Serving)

Calories 400

(Calories from Fat 200),

Total Fat 22g

(Saturated Fat 3 1/2g,
Trans Fat 0g),

Cholesterol 50mg;
Sodium 610mg;
Total Carbohydrate 30g

(Dietary Fiber 2g,
Sugars 7g),

Protein 19g;

Percent Daily Value*:

Exchanges:

1 1/2 Starch;
0 Fruit;
1/2 Other Carbohydrate;
0 Skim Milk;
0 Low-Fat Milk;
0 Milk;
0 Vegetable;
0 Very Lean Meat;
2 Lean Meat;
0 High-Fat Meat;
3 Fat;

Carbohydrate Choices:

*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

Chicken-Thyme-Penne Salad

Make the Most of This Recipe With Tips From The Betty Crocker® Kitchens

Make the Most of This Recipe With Tips From The Betty Crocker^® Kitchens