SEATTLE — Rosie Mayes is the author of the brand new cookbook "Super Soul Food."
Lucky for us, she joined the show to share a recipe!
Cajun Chicken Pasta Salad
Here's a chicken pasta salad that I jazzed up with some Cajun flavor. This isn't your everyday boring pasta salad. It's packed with chicken, bell pepper, red onions, and a creamy mayo-based dressing. This pasta salad should be chilled before serving. It makes the perfect side dish for summer barbecues or office potlucks.
Makes 10 servings
INGREDIENTS:
- Kosher salt, for boiling the pasta
- 6 1/2 cups small pasta shells
- 1 3/4 cups mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 (4-pound) rotisserie chicken, skin and bones removed, meat chopped
- 2 large slicing tomatoes (such as beefsteak), diced
- 1 medium red bell pepper, diced
- 1 medium red onion, diced
- 5 green onions, chopped
- 1 bunch fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning
- 1 1/2 teaspoons coarse black pepper
- Dried parsley flakes and paprika, for sprinkling (optional)
DIRECTIONS:
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Cook the pasta until it is al dente (cooked but still firm), then drain the pasta and set aside to cool.
- In a large mixing bowl, stir together the mayonnaise, brown sugar, and lemon juice until well incorporated. Next, add the chicken, tomatoes, bell pepper, red and green onions, and fresh parsley. Fold everything together. Then add the pasta, sprinkle in the Cajun seasoning and black pepper, and fold again until well combined. Transfer the salad to a large storage bowl and cover. Place in the refrigerator until chilled, at least 2 hours. Remove from the refrigerator, and sprinkle parsley flakes and paprika on top, if desired. Serve and enjoy!
Segment Producer Joseph Suttner. Watch New Day Northwest 11 a.m. weekdays on KING 5 and streaming live on KING5.com. Contact New Day.