Special Sesame Chicken Salad
Taste of Home
With its delicious mix of crunchy peanuts, tangy dried cranberries and mandarin oranges, this colorful pasta salad is a definite crowd-pleaser. Water chestnuts and a teriyaki dressing give this main dish its Oriental flare. —Carolee Ewell, Santaquin, Utah
SERVINGS: 22
CATEGORY: Salads
METHOD: Chill
TIME: Prep: 30 min. + chilling
Ingredients:
- 1 package (16 ounces) bow tie pasta
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 2/3 cup white wine vinegar
- 2/3 cup teriyaki sauce
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 3 cans (11 ounces each) mandarin oranges, drained
- 2 cans (8 ounces each) sliced water chestnuts, drained
- 2 cups cubed cooked chicken
- 1-1/3 cups honey roasted peanuts
- 1 package (9 ounces) fresh spinach, torn
- 1 package (6 ounces) dried cranberries
- 6 green onions, chopped
- 1/2 cup minced fresh parsley
- 1/4 cup sesame seeds, toasted
Directions:
Cook pasta according to package directions; drain and place in a very large bowl. In a small bowl, combine the oil, vinegar, teriyaki sauce, sugar and pepper. Pour over pasta and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours.
Just before serving, add the remaining ingredients; gently toss to coat. Yield: 22 servings (1 cup each).