Asian Pasta Salad

Tender pasta, flavorful rotisserie chicken, crunchy peppers, fresh herbs, sweet mandarins, and a mouthwatering dressing makes this the ultimate pasta salad. This is the perfect salad recipe to have on hand because it is easy to make, prep is so fast, and it is a crowd pleasing favorite. Take this Asian Pasta salad to a family gathering or enjoy it in the quiet of your own home.

Serve with a fun Pineapple Cooler or Sparkling Strawberry Lemonade for the perfect summer meal!

Asian Pasta Salad has hearty chicken, healthy veggies, crunchy peanuts, and a delicious yet easy homemade sesame-soy dressing. Plus, like most pasta salads (Easy Pesto Pasta Salad for example) it is a dish that is easily customizable for your personal taste or individual needs.

Asian Pasta Salad is hearty enough that you can pass it off for an easy yet flavorful dinner or you can make it as a killer side to a main dish. I personally love dressing up lunch time with an easy yet filling salad like Asian Pasta Salad.

What You Need To Make Asian Pasta Salad:

This Asian Pasta Salad is so yummy, and yet so easy to make. However, before we start talking meal prep, let’s get shopping first.

Sesame-Soy Dressing:

Toasted Sesame Oil
White Vinegar
Rice Vinegar
Olive Oil
Brown Sugar

Pasta Salad:

Bow Tie Pasta
Rotisserie Chicken
Shredded Carrots
Cilantro
Green Onion
Red Bell Pepper
Peanuts
Mandarin Oranges

Once you are all stocked up you are ready to start making one of the best salads ever!

How To Make Asian Pasta Salad:

This Asian Pasta Salad is perfect for even the most novice of chefs. Much like this Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad, it is fast and easy.

No hard to understand steps with this recipe.

Mix Ingredients for Dressing: Mix dressing ingredients in a bowl or shake and mix ingredients in a jar with a secure lid.
Cook and Drain Pasta: Cook pasta for about 1 minute less than recommended time in order to get a nice al dente pasta. Then drain and rinse pasta in cold water.
Add Pasta and Other Ingredients in a Bowl: In a large mixing bowl, put pasta, chicken, carrots, cilantro, onion, bell pepper, peanuts, and dressing.
Toss to Coat. Toss ingredients in dressing to coat.
Add Mandarin Oranges Last. Add drained mandarin oranges last and gently stir throughout.

That’s It! Only one thing left to do and that is to serve this delicious salad right up.

Storage and Freezing:

Can You Make Ahead?

Fridge Instructions:

You can store the ingredients in the fridge for up to 1-2 days in advance. However, do not store the salad already assembled with the dressing. Food will become mushy.

For best results, store food items separately. Put veggies in one container, pasta in another container, chicken in its own container, and lastly dressing in a container by itself.

Then assemble when ready to eat and add the mandarin oranges last.

Store Ingredients in separate air tight containers in the fridge.
Food will stay good for about 1-2 days in advance.
Assemble when ready to eat, adding mandarin oranges last.

Freezing Instructions:

This is really not a freezer friendly dish, but parts can be frozen to be used later.

Easy enough dish to make, don’t try to freeze ahead of time
If you really want to freeze, then freeze chicken and veggies and the dressing, all separately, and assemble day of.
Make pasta the same day you serve it.

Note: Remember allow time for food to defrost.

As a whole dish this is not an ideal freezer meal situation. However, don’t feel too disappointed. It is super fast to make so the need to freeze ahead of time is not as dire.

If you do want to make freezer Asian Pasta Salad you have options. As mentioned above, cut veggies and freeze for a later time. Then freeze the chicken too. This will give you a slight jump on the meal prep.

Variations:

I love the flavor profile of this Asian Pasta Salad. Love!

I also love that you can put your own personal touch to this dish with additional variations. Feel free to add different ingredients based on personal preference.

Here are some add-in suggestions to mix things up a little bit.

Add-In Ideas:

Broccoli
Cabbage
Sugar Snap Peas
Edamame
A Variety of Pastas
Whole Wheat Pasta
Vegetarian Option: Add More Veggies and No Chicken
Fresh Lime Juice for the Dressing

This Asian Pasta Salad is a refreshing and yummy dish that offers a great starting off point for so many additional ingredients.

As always feel free to adjust or add additional ingredients if you want.

Serve With:

Asian Pasta Salad can be a main meal or great as a side dish.

Serve Asian Pasta Salad with Apricot Shrimp Kabobs and finish this flavorful meal off with a cool dessert like Eclair Ice Box Cake.

With a line up like this you will be sure to enjoy your meal from start to finish.

Asian Pasta Salad Is The Perfect Versatile Dish!

Asian Pasta Salad makes for a great lunch, dinner, side, or snack. Bring Asian Pasta Salad to a party or barbecue or enjoy it in the comfort of your own home.

This fast, simple yet tasty dish, will soon become a family favorite!

Other Salads to Try: