Teriyaki Chicken Salad combines pasta, spinach, nuts, oranges, water chestnuts, sweet onion, and tender chicken, all mixed with a 3-ingredient dressing.
author’s note
The Salad I Never Have Leftovers Of!
I’m so excited to share this recipe from my friend Lauren’s new cookbook. Lauren, from Tastes Better From Scratch, just released her very first cookbook, and I’m genuinely so happy for her. It’s one of those cookbooks you actually want to cook from, not just flip through.
It quickly became a Top New Release on Amazon, and after cooking from it, that totally makes sense. There are over 116 recipes, beautiful photos, and QR codes you can scan for video tutorials, which I love when I’m cooking in real time.
The recipes cover every meal of the day and include so many kid-friendly options. This Teriyaki Chicken Salad was an instant hit with my kids, which always seals the deal for me. It’s a perfect example of how simple ingredients can turn into something really flavorful and totally doable for busy days.
What is Teriyaki Salad Dressing Made Of?
The dressing has only three ingredients:
- Rice vinegar: Adds a subtle tang. Rice wine vinegar is the same thing as rice vinegar.
- Vegetable oil: You can also use canola oil.
- Teriyaki sauce: The key ingredient! Any good quality, thick teriyaki sauce will work.
Salad Ingredients
This Teriyaki Chicken Salad needs just a few ingredients:
- Mandarin oranges: Use canned or fresh clementines, peeled and separated.
- Nuts: Peanuts or cashews are good choices. Pick dry-roasted and lightly salted for extra flavor.
- Water chestnuts: These add a nice crunch and can be found in the Asian section of most grocery stores.
- Dried cranberries: These add sweetness. Use unsweetened for less sweetness.
- Sweet onion: Milder than regular onions, perfect for eating raw in salads!
Adding Chicken
Chicken adds protein, making this salad a main dish. You can skip it for quicker prep or a vegetarian side.
I use leftover grilled, baked, or rotisserie chicken for extra flavor!
Quick Tip
Grab a rotisserie chicken for one meal (like tacos or lettuce wraps) and save 2 cups for this Teriyaki Chicken Salad later.
How To Make Teriyaki Chicken Salad
- Make dressing: Mix teriyaki sauce, oil, and rice vinegar in a jar. Shake well.
- Cook pasta: Boil pasta until just done. Drain, rinse with cold water, and let cool.
- Prepare ingredients: Chop spinach, dice chicken, and finely chop the onion.
- Mix salad: Combine cooled pasta with all the veggies.
- Add dressing: Pour dressing over the salad and mix gently.
- Serve: Add salt and pepper to taste and enjoy right away!
Teriyaki Chicken Salad Recipe Tips
- Salt the pasta: Add 1 teaspoon of salt to 4 cups of water before adding in pasta.
- Use textured pasta: Pick pasta like mini farfalle, rotini, shells, or penne.
- Cook pasta: Follow package directions. Over-cooked pasta gets soggy; under-cooked pasta gets too firm when cold.
Storage
- This salad doesn’t keep well once dressed. The dressing wilts the spinach and softens the veggies.
- To prepare ahead, store everything separately and mix just before serving.
- This salad doesn’t freeze or thaw well.
More Amazing Pasta Salad Recipes:
Teriyaki Chicken Salad
Video
Equipment
Ingredients
- 12 ounces bowtie pasta also called farfalle pasta, see note 1
- 5 ounces (5-1/2 cups) coarsely chopped baby spinach
- 2 cups diced cooked chicken
- 1/2 cup dry roasted peanuts or cashews
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
- 1 (8-ounce) can water chestnuts drained and diced
- 1 (15-ounce) can mandarin oranges drained
- 2 tablespoons finely diced sweet onion
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 6 tablespoons teriyaki sauce see note 2
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil or canola oil
- 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
Instructions
- Combine teriyaki sauce, vegetable oil, and rice wine vinegar in a resealable glass jar. Shake to mix. Store in the fridge, and shake again before using.
- Bring a large pot with 12 cups water to a rolling boil. Add 1 tablespoon salt and pasta. Cook according to package directions for “al dente.”
- Drain, rinse under cold water for 20 seconds, shake off excess water, and set aside to cool completely.
- Once pasta is cooled, add baby spinach, cooked chicken, peanuts, dried cranberries, water chestnuts, mandarin oranges, and sweet onion. Drizzle with desired amount of dressing and gently toss. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy immediately!
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Variations
Switch Things Up
- Add creaminess: Dice avocado and add it to individual plates right before serving.
- Use baby kale: Swap spinach with chopped baby kale.
- Add crunch: Top with crispy chow mein noodles.
- Swap fruits: Use fresh mango or grilled pineapple instead of mandarin oranges.
- Add edamame: Cook frozen edamame per package directions, cool completely, and add to the salad.
- Vegetarian Teriyaki Salad: Simply leave out the chicken!
Can you use olive oil instead of canola oil?
Yes that works great!
I was just wondering if you could use olive oil instead of the canola oil? So excited to try this!
Yes! That will work just fine!
This is delicious, but I had to double the dressing recipe. I made it for July 4 party, so put the peanuts in a separate bowl in case someone had allergies. Still ate leftovers the next day. Other than the spinach softening, it was still quite good.
Yay! So happy to hear this! And love the idea of separating the peanuts for allergies. Thanks Donna!
Liked this salad a lot–added peanut butter and juice from mandarins to the dressing for another layer for flavor to the salad. It’s a hearty salad so you actually feel like it’s a meal.
Delish! Thanks for sharing!
Hearty and delicious! I have made this many times and it’s always tasty. The only thing I have done differently at times is use a sesame ginger dressing (not because I think it’s better, just because I often have it on hand and it saves the step of making the dressing).
I am so thrilled to hear this! Thanks Andrea!