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Mandarin Chicken Pasta Salad
4.8 from 30 votes

Mandarin Chicken Pasta Salad

EASY, ready in 30 minutes, and packed with Asian-inspired flavors!! Juicy sesame chicken, pasta, and lots of healthy vegetables! PERFECT for potlucks, picnics, parties, and planned leftovers!!

Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Total Time
30 mins
Servings: 8 Servings
Calories: 457 kcal
Course: Salad
Cuisine: Asian

Ingredients

Vinaigrette
  • 1- ounce dry onion soup mix package
  • 2 to 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons sesame oil
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • Mandarin Orange juice add oranges to a separate very large bowl, from one 10.5-ounce can mandarin oranges
  • 2 to 3 teaspoons granulated sugar
  • 2 teaspoons ground ginger or to taste
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt or to taste
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper or to taste, freshly ground
  • pinch cayenne pepper optional
Salad
  • 16 ounces bowtie pasta cooked according to package directions
  • 1 to 1.25 pounds chicken breast diced into bite-sized pieces, seasoned with salt and pepper, boneless, skinless
  • 2 tablespoons sesame oil
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 red bell pepper diced small
  • 1 cup carrot shredded
  • ½ English cucumber diced small
  • mandarin oranges drained and juice discarded, one 10.5-ounce can
  • 4 to 6 cups spinach about 6 ounces, fresh baby

Instructions

Vinaigrette 
    Cup of Yum
  1. To a medium bowl, add all ingredients, whisk to combine; set aside.
  2. Note – You are only adding the juice from one can of mandarins to the vinaigrette. Add the mandarins to a separate very large bowl.
Salad 
  1. Cook pasta according to package directions, drain, and add it to the bowl with the mandarins.
  2. While the pasta is cooking, to a large skillet add the sesame oil, olive oil, chicken, season with salt and pepper, and cook over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through; stir and flip intermittently to ensure even cooking.
  3. Add chicken and all cooking juices to the bowl with the mandarins and pasta.
  4. Add the peppers, carrots, cucumbers, additional one can of mandarins (drain juice and discard), spinach, add the vinaigrette, stir and toss to combine and coat evenly.
  5. Taste the salad and make any additional flavor adjustments such as more salt, pepper, sugar, vinegar, cayenne (doesn’t make it hot but adds flavor), etc. and either serve immediately or chill before serving.

Notes

  • Tip – Because of the large volume of this salad, you may want to add half the spinach to start with to your mixing bowl, and as things get mixed and the spinach wilts a bit, add the remaining spinach and continue mixing.
  • Storage: Salad will keep airtight in the fridge for up to 5 days, noting the vegetables will release their natural juices as time passes.

Nutrition Information

Serving 1 Calories 457kcal (23%) Carbohydrates 47g (16%) Protein 29g (58%) Fat 17g (26%) Saturated Fat 3g (15%) Polyunsaturated Fat 13g (76%) Cholesterol 60mg (20%) Sodium 1165mg (49%) Fiber 6g (24%) Sugar 20g (40%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 8 Servings

Amount Per Serving

Calories 457

% Daily Value*

Serving 1
Calories 457kcal 23%
Carbohydrates 47g 16%
Protein 29g 58%
Fat 17g 26%
Saturated Fat 3g 15%
Polyunsaturated Fat 13g 76%
Cholesterol 60mg 20%
Sodium 1165mg 49%
Fiber 6g 24%
Sugar 20g 40%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.