Mexican Pasta Salad
Jalapenos are the most popular chile peppers in the US. This is probably due to the availability and versatility of the chile. Jalapenos have a balanced combination of flavor and heat.
The demand for these have caused breeders to develop a broad range of varieties. You can now get jalapenos with various heat level and sizes. These can be used in salsas, stuffed, or eaten straight with cheeseburgers (my personal favorite).
Ingredients:
1-1/4 pounds fusilli pasta
1-1/2 Tbsp. plus 1/3 cup olive oil
1 (2-1/2 pound) roasted chicken, skinned, boned and meat shredded
4 large tomatoes, seeded and diced (approximately 4 cups)
3 cups corn kernels
1/2 large red onion, chopped
3 large carrots, thinly sliced diagonally , slices cut into thin strips
2 Tbsp. plus 1 tsp. Dijon mustard
2 Tbsp. plus 1 tsp. fresh lime juice
3 jalapeno chiles, seeded and minced
1-1/4 tsp. chili powder
1-1/4 tsp. ground cumin
2 bunches fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped
Instructions:
Cook the fusilli pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until tender but firm to the bite. Drain the pasta and rinse with cold water. Drain well.
In a large bowl add 1-1/2 Tbsp. of olive oil with the pasta and mix thoroughly to coat. Add the shredded chicken, diced tomatoes, corn kernels, carrot strips and chopped onion. Toss the ingredients well. Mix the Dijon mustard and fresh lime juice in a small bowl and gradually mix in remaining 1/3 cup of olive oil. Mix in the minced jalapeno chiles, chili powder and ground cumin. Add the dressing and chopped fresh cilantro to the salad and toss to blend. Season to taste with salt and pepper. The salad can be prepared 4 hours ahead of time. Cover well and refrigerate.
The salad serves 8.