Caesar Chicken-Pasta Salad

There are a lot of flavors going on in this salad, and they all meld together so well! The fresh herbs are key in this recipe, so don't skimp on those! I love eating salads in the winter.  It makes me feel like I'm doing something good for myself!  I served this with a fruit and yogurt parfait (finely chopped frozen peaches layered with vanilla yogurt) or a fruit and yogurt smoothie for those in my family who don't like fruit chunks in their yogurt.

Caesar Chicken-Pasta Salad (8 PointsPlus per serving)

3 cups (about 12 oz.) skinned, shredded roasted chicken breast (from a rotisserie chicken)

3 cups cooked penne (about 6 oz. uncooked tubular-shaped pasta), cooked without salt or fat

2 cups thinly sliced romaine lettuce (I actually used 2 small heads of romaine, which is probably double this amount)

1 ½ cups halved cherry tomatoes (I didn't use as much called for, because Jesse doesn't like tomatoes)

½ cup thinly sliced fresh basil

½ cup chopped green onions

1/3 cup fat-free Caesar dressing (Cardini is GREAT; they have fat-free, low-fat, and regular; I purchased low-fat)

¼ cup chopped fresh parsley

1 (4 oz.) package crumbled feta cheese (I used fat-free)

1 garlic clove, minced, optional

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl; toss well.  Yield:  4 servings (serving size: 2 cups).