40th Recipe Southwestern chicken and pasta

Dietitian's tip: To reduce the amount of sodium in this recipe, use homemade salsa instead of store-bought salsa. To make the salsa, combine chopped fresh tomatoes, diced onions and peppers, cilantro and fresh lime juice.

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 1 cup uncooked whole-wheat rigatoni
• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, each 4 ounces, cut into cubes
• 1/4 cup salsa
• 1 1/2 cups canned unsalted tomato sauce
• 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1/2 cup fresh or canned corn
• 1/4 cup shredded CoJack (Colby and Monterey Jack) cheese

Directions

Fill a large pot 3/4 full with water and bring to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente (tender), 10 to 12 minutes, or according to the package directions. Drain the pasta thoroughly.
Spray a large, heavy skillet with cooking spray. Over medium heat, saute the chicken until browned and opaque throughout, 7 to 10 minutes. Stir in the salsa, tomato sauce, garlic powder, cumin, chili powder, black beans and corn. Stir thoroughly and cook until heated through. Add the pasta and gently toss to mix evenly.
Divide the pasta between individual plates. Sprinkle each serving with 2 tablespoons cheese. Serve immediately.

Nutritional Analysis

(per serving)

Serving size: About 1.5 cups
Calories	237	Cholesterol	44 mg
Protein	19 g	Sodium	325 mg
Carbohydrate	29 g	Fiber	5 g
Total fat	5 g	Potassium	336 mg
Saturated fat	2 g	Calcium	76 mg
Monounsaturated fat	1 g