Here is another one of my family’s favorite dinner recipes! I love it because it’s really simple and easy to make and it’s delicious. I got this recipe from my friend Brittany a few years ago and it’s been part of our dinner menu rotation ever since. It’s filled with chicken, pasta, veggies, and has a little crunch from cashews and sesame seeds, all in a flavorful homemade sauce.
One thing I love about this recipe, is that you can eat it warm or cold. It’s super nice on nights when I need to get my kids fed earlier before Tyler gets home from work. This also makes a great dish to serve at a bridal or baby shower!
Asian Chicken Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 1-1.5 pounds chicken, cooked and diced or shredded (you can use a rotisserie chicken for faster prep)
- 1 lb penne pasta, cooked according to package directions
- 1 red pepper
- 1 orange pepper
- 1 yellow pepper
- 1/3 cup canola oil
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1/4 cup sesame oil
- 1/4 cup rice vinegar
- 1/4 cup honey
- 2 Tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 Tablespoon sugar
- 3 Tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
- 1 cup lightly salted cashew halves
- 2-3 handfuls baby spinach
Instructions
1. Thinly slice (julienne) the red, orange, and yellow peppers.
2. Combine sliced peppers, cooked diced chicken, and cooked pasta in a large bowl.
3. Combine canola oil, soy sauce, sesame oil, rice vinegar, honey, brown sugar, and sugar in a medium pot.
4. Heat and stir over medium heat until sugars are dissolved. Do not boil.
5. Pour sauce over pasta mixture.
6. Add sesame seeds and stir well.
7. Add cashews and baby spinach right before serving.
8. Serve immediately warm, or refrigerate and serve cold.
