Teriyaki Chicken Salad

5 from 2 votes

Teriyaki Chicken Salad brings together pasta, spinach, nuts, oranges, water chestnuts, sweet onion, and tender chicken with a sweet 3-ingredient teriyaki dressing to make the perfect meal.

Prep Time25

Total Time25

Course: Dinner, Salad, Side Dish

Cuisine: Asian

Keyword: Teriyaki Chicken Salad

Servings: servings

Author: Chelsea Lords

Cost: $8.42

Equipment

Large pot

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

Dressing

6 tablespoons teriyaki sauce see note 2
3 tablespoons vegetable oil or canola oil
3 tablespoons rice vinegar

US - Metric

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!

Video

Notes

Note 1: Bowtie pasta is also known as farfalle pasta. Be sure to use only 12 ounces, even if your box is larger.

Note 2: The teriyaki sauce is key to the dressing. I recommend Mr. Yoshida’s teriyaki sauce, but any good quality, thick teriyaki sauce you love will work.

Storage: The salad is best enjoyed the same day it’s made. The longer it sits, the more the pasta absorbs the dressing, which can make it taste dry. To avoid this, add the dressing slowly as needed and toss often.

Nutrition