Dian's Cajun Pasta Salad

Spice up your meal prep game with **Dian's Cajun Pasta Salad**, a vibrant and zesty dish that’s perfect for potlucks, picnics, or a quick family dinner. Packed with tender penne pasta, juicy diced chicken, crisp bell peppers, sweet cherry tomatoes, and savory black olives, this pasta salad bursts with color and texture in every bite. The creamy Cajun dressing, made with tangy lemon juice, garlic powder, and bold Cajun seasoning, ties it all together with a tantalizing kick of spice. Ready in just 25 minutes and served chilled, this flavorful salad is as refreshing as it is satisfying. Garnish with fresh parsley for the perfect finishing touch, and enjoy a dish that’s equal parts hearty and delicious.

Nutriscore Rating: 74/100

Prep Time:15 mins

Cook Time:10 mins

Total Time:25 mins

Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 12 oz Penne pasta
• 1 Red bell pepper
• 1 Yellow bell pepper
• 1 small Red onion
• 1 cup Cherry tomatoes
• 0.5 cup Black olives
• 1.5 cups Cooked chicken breast, diced
• 0.5 cup Mayonnaise
• 0.25 cup Sour cream
• 1.5 tablespoons Cajun seasoning
• 1 tablespoon Lemon juice
• 0.5 teaspoon Garlic powder
• 0.25 teaspoon Salt
• 0.25 teaspoon Black pepper
• 2 tablespoons Fresh parsley, chopped

Directions

Step 1

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the penne pasta according to the package instructions until al dente. Drain the pasta and rinse under cold water to cool it down. Set aside.

Step 2

While the pasta cooks, dice the red and yellow bell peppers, finely chop the red onion, and halve the cherry tomatoes. Slice the black olives if they are whole.

Step 3

In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooled pasta, diced chicken breast, chopped bell peppers, red onion, cherry tomatoes, and black olives.

Step 4

In a separate small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, Cajun seasoning, lemon juice, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper until smooth.

Step 5

Pour the Cajun dressing over the pasta mixture and toss to coat everything evenly.

Step 6

Refrigerate the pasta salad for at least 1 hour to allow the flavors to meld together.

Step 7

Before serving, garnish with freshly chopped parsley for a pop of color and freshness.

Step 8

Serve chilled as a side dish or light meal. Enjoy!

Nutrition Facts

Serving size	(1537.4g)

Amount per serving	% Daily Value*
Calories	3043.2

Total Fat 125.1g	0%
Saturated Fat 20.8g	0%
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.4g
Cholesterol 461.4mg	0%
Sodium 4572.0mg	0%
Total Carbohydrate 323.2g	0%
Dietary Fiber 24.2g	0%
Total Sugars 17.1g
Protein 158.8g	0%

Vitamin D 0IU	0%
Calcium 250.8mg	0%
Iron 21.8mg	0%
Potassium 2780.3mg	0%

*The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

Source of Calories

Fat: 36.9%

Protein: 20.8%

Carbs: 42.3%