Oriental Pasta Salad with Spinach, Mandarins & Almonds
I was up Friday night thinking, what could I pair with my Stellar Oriental Salad Dressing to showcase its zesty flavors? The first thing that came to mind was those sickly-sweet mandarin oranges that I loved as a kid—that would be my sweet note. Then, I needed a shot of protein, so I thought, why not introduce teriyaki chicken, which would lend a sweet yet savory hit to this salad? On top of the chicken, I thought, next I'll incorporate chickpea pasta for a protein-packed salad that won’t turn mushy over time. But I still needed a textural crunch for this salad, so I had the idea of adding slivered almonds and toasted sesame seeds. Finally, I was faced with a choice of lettuce leaves and immediately thought of spinach for its neutral taste and health benefits, rich in micronutrients, like folate, Vitamin K, and potassium. This salad is otherworldly and goes down as one of my favorite recipes!
Ingredients
- 3 cups dried chickpea pasta, shells or rotini
- 1 T. sea salt
- 1 ¼ qt. water
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- ½ cup teriyaki sauce
- 2/3 cup my Stellar Oriental Salad Dressing, see recipe under Salad
- ¾ cup mandarin oranges, sweetened, packed in water
- ½ cup almond slivers
- 3 cups or more baby spinach
- ¼ cup chopped parsley
- 2 T. toasted white sesame seeds
Directions
- Step 1 To begin, cut the chicken in strips or bite-size pieces and add to a 8 x 8″ Pyrex or any container to marinade in the refrigerator. Then, pat the chicken dry with paper towels to remove any excess moisture and pour the teriyaki sauce over the meat to coat. Next, let the chicken marinate for 2 hours in the fridge or until the meat turns darker brown.
- Step 2 Next, bring 1 ¼ quarts of water to a boil in a large stockpot, adding 1 T. of sea salt to season the noodles from the inside out. Reduce to a simmer and cook the pasta for about 8 minutes or until the noodles are al dente. Remove from heat and drain the pasta water, giving it a quick rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process and remove starch build-up that will make the pasta clump together. Set aside in a large mixing bowl while pouring in 1/3 cup of my Stellar Oriental Dressing.
- Step 3 Now, after the chicken’s marinated, heat a 10-12” nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and add the chicken, plus the marinade. Cook for 8-10 minutes or until the juices run clear, the meat is not red or pink, and the internal temperature is 165° F. Remove from heat and discard the juices. Add the chicken to its own mixing bowl and stir in 1 T. of the sesame seeds.
- Step 4 Then, assemble the salad by tossing the pasta in with the chicken and mixing in the mandarins, almonds, and the other tablespoon of sesame seeds. Next, chop the parsley and add it to the salad. Refrigerate the salad if you aren’t serving right away. Whenever you are ready to serve the dish, add the spinach and pour in the other third cup of dressing. Toss well and serve. Enjoy!
This scrumptious, protein-packed salad features over 76 grams of protein per serving from the dense chickpea pasta and the sweet yet savory teriyaki chicken. And don’t forget the nutrient-rich spinach, high in folate and Vitamin K, which is highlighted in this salad. And if that is not enough, the topping of almond slivers is healthy, infusing a shot of magnesium and Vitamin E into this one-of-a-kind salad here.
Nutritional Information: servings per recipe: 6, calories: 1116, total fat: 37.1 g., saturated fat: 3.2 g., cholesterol: 43 mg., sodium: 1494 mg., total carbohydrate: 146.4 g., total sugars: 33 g., protein: 76.3 g., calcium: 266 mg., iron: 24 mg., vitamin D: 0 IU, potassium: 228 mg.