Mandarin Orange Chicken Salad With Bowtie Pasta
This mandarin orange chicken salad with bowtie noodles is fresh, flavorful, and easy to make with a simple homemade dressing and crunchy vegetables.
Servings: 5
Calories: 538kcal
Ingredients
For the salad:
- 8 ounces bowtie noodles
- 6 cups spinach
- 3 cups shredded or chopped chicken
- 1, 10.5 ounce can mandarin oranges, drained
- 1 bell pepper, small dice
- 4 green onions, thinly sliced
- ⅓ cup sliced almonds or cashews
For the dressing:
- ⅓ cup avocado oil or olive oil
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- ⅓ cup rice wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- 2 tablespoons honey or maple syrup
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook the bowtie noodles according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and rinse with cold water, then set aside to cool.
- In a blender or food processor, combine the dressing ingredients (avocado oil, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, honey, garlic powder, salt, and pepper). Blend until smooth and well combined.
- Chop the bell pepper, slice the green onions, and prepare the chicken if not already cooked.
- In a large bowl, combine the spinach, cooked noodles, chicken, mandarin oranges, bell pepper, green onions, and almonds.
- Pour the dressing over the salad and toss until everything is evenly coated.
- Taste and adjust seasoning if needed, then serve immediately or chill before serving.
Notes
- Save time/prep ahead:
- Use rotisserie chicken - Grab a store-bought rotisserie chicken for an easy shortcut.
- Prep ingredients ahead - Chop veggies and cook noodles ahead of time for quick assembly later.
- Make the dressing in advance - Store your homemade dressings in the fridge until ready to use.
- Assemble just before serving - For the freshest texture, toss everything together right before serving.
- Great for meal prep - Keep components separate and assemble throughout the week for a quick lunch.
- This can be a gluten free mandarin orange chicken salad with the use of gluten free noodles and tamari in place of soy sauce. It is dairy free. For a vegan/vegetarian option, simply omit the chicken and use maple syrup in the dressing in place of honey.
- The recipe can be found on My Fitness Pal by searching "BWB Mandarin Orange Chicken Salad." The nutrition content provided for each recipe is an estimate created through the My Fitness Pal database. Please be aware that the nutritional content of each recipe may vary based on the products you use, the precision of your measurements, and the source you use to obtain nutrition data. While we try to provide accurate information, we give no guarantee regarding the accuracy of the nutritional information provided.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 538kcal | Carbohydrates: 48.1g | Protein: 33.9g | Fat: 23.1g | Saturated Fat: 2.8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4.1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13.5g | Cholesterol: 77.8mg | Sodium: 685mg | Potassium: 738mg | Fiber: 3.9g | Sugar: 13.2g
