Mandarin Pasta Salad

Submitted by Cream Puff

"This is my original recipe and is featured in Taste of Home's Holiday & Celebrations Cookbook (2002). It's light, colorful and fresh-tasting. I hope you'll try it sometime."

 

• Ready In: 50mins
• Ingredients: 19
• Serves: 8-10

ingredients

• 1 (1 lb) package angel hair pasta (cappelini) or (1 lb) package thin spaghetti, broken into thirds (vermacelli)
• 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tablespoons butter or 2 tablespoons margarine
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons seasoning salt
• 1 (8 ounce) can sliced water chestnuts, drained
• 2 (11 ounce) cans mandarin oranges
• 1 (6 ounce) package frozen snow peas, thawed and drained
• 2 cups fresh mushrooms, sliced
• 2 cups carrots, shredded
• 2 bunches green onions, sliced

• DRESSING

• 2⁄3 cup oil, canola or vegetable
• 1⁄2 cup white balsamic vinegar or 1/2 cup white wine vinegar
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1⁄2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 3 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted

directions

1. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain pasta, rinsing with cold water; set aside.
2. In large skillet, saute chicken and garlic in butter until chicken juices run clear; sprinkle with seasoned salt. Remove chicken with a slotted spoon; set aside.
3. In same skillet, saute water chestnuts for 2-3 minutes. Meanwhile, drain oranges, reserving 1/2 cup juice. In a large serving bowl, combine oranges, pasta, chicken, water chestnuts, peas, mushrooms, carrots and onions.
4. In a quart-sized jar or similar container with tight-fitting lid, combine the oil, vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, sugar, honey, ginger and reserved mandarin orange juice; shake well. Pour over pasta mixture and toss. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.
5. Refrigerate until serving.

Reviews

[mianbao]

This is a very visually attractive salad, but I also thought that a little more crunch - lettuce or cucumber or something would add to its appeal. I did use the water chestnuts, and all of the listed ingredients. The dressing seemed rather lacking in flavor, again, the previous reviewer's idea of using sesame oil seems good. Thank you for sharing your recipe with us. It was interesting to try.

 

[Simply Chris]

I really liked this salad, but DH wasn't wild about it. He thought there should have been some kind of lettuce in it. We both really liked the dressing, though. I will make this again, but next time I will add some kind of crunchy greens...maybe hearts of romaine to keep DH smiling. I did substitute toasted sesame oil for the canola oil.