Recipes and Cooking Southwestern Chicken and Macaroni Salad 4.1 (26) 2 Reviews Salsa taquera is traditional-style Mexican salsa with a thin consistency and slightly smoky flavor. Find it at Mexican markets or in the Mexican section of the grocery store. If you prefer, you can substitute your favorite salsa. By BHG Test Kitchen BHG Test Kitchen The Better Homes & Gardens Test Kitchen has been in continuous operation for nearly 100 years, developing and testing practical, reliable recipes that readers can enjoy at home. The Test Kitchen team includes culinary specialists, food stylists, registered and licensed nutritionists, and other experts with Bachelor of Science degrees in food science, food and nutrition, or culinary arts. Together, the team tests more than 2,500 recipes, produces more than 2,500 food images, and creates more than 1,000 food videos each year in the state-of-the-art test kitchen. Learn about BHG's Editorial Process Published on June 1, 2013 Print Share Share Tweet Pin Email Prep Time: 18 mins Roast Time: 20 mins Bake Time: 18 mins Total Time: 56 mins Servings: 10 Yield: 11 cups Jump to Nutrition Facts Ingredients 2 poblano peppers, halved lengthwise* 1 25 ounce package frozen fully cooked crispy chicken strips 8 ounce dried large elbow macaroni ½ 8 ounce package cream cheese, softened 1 7 ounce can salsa taquera** or 3/4 cup salsa 1 avocado, halved, seeded, peeled, and chopped Directions Preheat oven to 450°F. Line a baking sheet with foil. Place peppers on baking sheet, cut sides down. Roast for 20 minutes or until skin is blistered and charred. Bring the foil up around peppers and fold edges together to enclose. Let stand about 15 minutes or until cool enough to handle. Using a sharp knife, loosen edges of the skins. Gently pull off skin and discard. Remove stems, seeds, and membranes. Chop peppers. Cook chicken and macaroni according to package directions. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain pasta and rinse well under cold water. Set aside. Cut chicken into 1/2-inch-thick pieces. In a large bowl combine cream cheese and half the salsa. Beat with an electric mixer on low speed until smooth; gradually beat in remaining salsa. Add chopped peppers and macaroni; toss to combine. Gently fold in avocado and chicken. Serve at once or cover and chill up to 2 hours. *Handling Hot Peppers: Because hot chile peppers contain volatile oils that can burn your skin and eyes, avoid contact with chiles as much as possible. When working with chile peppers, wear plastic or rubber gloves. If your bare hands do touch the chile peppers, wash your hands well with soap and water. ** Salsa taquera is a traditional Mexican salsa; it is available in cans and jars from several different companies. Print Nutrition Facts (per serving) 312 Calories 14g Fat 30g Carbs 17g Protein Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label Nutrition Facts Servings Per Recipe 10 Calories 312 % Daily Value * Total Fat 14g 18% Saturated Fat 4g 20% Cholesterol 37mg 12% Sodium 600mg 26% Total Carbohydrate 30g 11% Total Sugars 2g Protein 17g Vitamin C 20.3mg 102% Calcium 20mg 2% Iron 1mg 6% Potassium 176mg 4% Folate, total 69.3mcg Vitamin B-6 0.1mg *The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.