Teriyaki Chicken Salad

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This Teriyaki Chicken Salad is loaded with flavor and texture -- tender pasta, fresh baby spinach, dry-roasted nuts, juicy mandarin oranges, crunchy water chestnuts, sweet onion, and seasoned chicken. We toss this salad with an addictive teriyaki dressing that uses only 3 ingredients and pulls everything together perfectly!

Course Dinner, Main Course, Salad, Side Dish

Cuisine Asian

Keyword Teriyaki Chicken Salad

Prep Time 25 minutes

Total Time 25 minutes

Servings servings

Calories 362kcal

Author Chelsea Lords

Cost $8.42

Ingredients

1 pkg. (12 oz.) farfalle/bowtie pasta
1 pkg. (5 oz.) baby spinach leaves, coarsely chopped (~5-1/2 gently packed cups)
2 cups diced cooked chicken
1/2 cup dry roasted peanuts or cashews
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1 can (8 oz.) water chestnuts, drained & diced
1 can (15 oz.) mandarin oranges, drained
2 tablespoons sweet onion finely diced

Dressing

1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons teriyaki sauce (Note 1)
3 tablespoons vegetable or canola oil
3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar

US - Metric

Instructions

DRESSING: Combine the dressing ingredients in a resealable glass jar. Shake to combine. Store in the fridge, shaking again before using.
PASTA: In generously salted water, cook pasta according to package directions to "al dente" (the minimum time indicated on package). Drain pasta and add to a *very* large bowl; toss with half the prepared dressing and then place in the fridge, covered, until fully cooled.
ASSEMBLE: Once pasta is fully cooled, toss with the coarsely chopped spinach. Add diced cooked chicken, peanuts or cashews, cranberries, diced water chestnuts, drained mandarin oranges, and finely diced sweet onion. Drizzle on as much dressing as you'd like (you may not want it all) and gently toss to combine. Taste and add salt/pepper if needed or more dressing. Enjoy immediately!

Video

Notes

Note 1: Teriyaki sauce: This sauce is the major player in the dressing -- it can make or break it! We recommend Mr. Yoshida's teriyaki sauce, but any good quality, thicker-style teriyaki (that you know you love) will work great here.

Nutrition