Teriyaki Chicken Salad combines pasta, spinach, nuts, oranges, water chestnuts, sweet onion, and tender chicken, all mixed with a 3-ingredient dressing.
Teriyaki Chicken Salad Recipe
I’m excited to share this recipe from my friend Lauren’s new cookbook. Lauren, from Tastes Better From Scratch, just released her first cookbook, and it’s amazing!
Her cookbook quickly became a Top New Release on Amazon. It’s got over 116 recipes, beautiful photos, and QR codes for video tutorials. It’s great for any kitchen!
You’ll find recipes for every meal and lots of kid-friendly options. This Teriyaki Chicken Salad was a hit with my kids—they loved it. It’s a perfect example of how tasty and easy her recipes are.
What is Teriyaki Salad Dressing Made Of?
The dressing has only three ingredients:
Rice vinegar: Adds a subtle tang. Rice wine vinegar is the same thing as rice vinegar.
Vegetable oil: You can also use canola oil.
Teriyaki sauce: The key ingredient! Any good quality, thick teriyaki sauce will work.
This Teriyaki Chicken Salad needs just a few ingredients:
Mandarin oranges: Use canned or fresh clementines, peeled and separated.
Nuts: Peanuts or cashews are good choices. Pick dry-roasted and lightly salted for extra flavor.
Water chestnuts: These add a nice crunch and can be found in the Asian section of most grocery stores.
Dried cranberries: These add sweetness. Use unsweetened for less sweetness.
Sweet onion: Milder than regular onions, perfect for eating raw in salads!
Adding Chicken
Chicken adds protein, making this salad a main dish. You can skip it for quicker prep or a vegetarian side.
I use leftover grilled chicken or rotisserie chicken for extra flavor!
QUICK TIP Grab a rotisserie chicken for one meal (like tacos or lettuce wraps) and save 2 cups for this Teriyaki Chicken Salad later.
How To Make Teriyaki Chicken Salad
Make the dressing: Mix teriyaki sauce, oil, and rice vinegar in a jar. Shake well.
Cook the pasta: Boil pasta in salted water until just done. Drain, rinse with cold water, and let cool.
Prepare ingredients: Chop spinach, dice chicken, and finely chop the onion.
Mix salad: Combine cooled pasta with all the veggies.
Add dressing: Pour dressing over the salad and mix gently.
Serve: Add salt and pepper to taste and enjoy right away!
Switch Things Up
Add creaminess: Dice avocado and add it to individual plates right before serving.
Use baby kale: Swap spinach with chopped baby kale.
Add crunch: Top with crispy chow mein noodles.
Use red onion: Replace sweet onion with red onion.
Swap fruits: Use fresh mango or grilled pineapple instead of mandarin oranges.
Add edamame: Cook frozen edamame per package directions, cool completely, and add to the salad.
Vegetarian Teriyaki Salad: Simply leave out the chicken!
Teriyaki Chicken Salad Recipe Tips
Salt the pasta: Add 1 teaspoon of salt to 4 cups of water before adding in pasta.
Use textured pasta: Pick pasta like mini farfalle, rotini, shells, or penne.
Cook pasta: Follow package directions. Over-cooked pasta gets soggy; under-cooked pasta gets too firm when cold.
STORAGE
Storing Teriyaki Chicken Salad
This salad doesn’t keep well once dressed. The dressing wilts the spinach and softens the veggies.
To prepare ahead, store everything separately and mix just before serving.
This salad doesn’t freeze or thaw well.
More Amazing Pasta Salad Recipes:
Teriyaki Chicken Salad
Teriyaki Chicken Salad combines pasta, spinach, nuts, oranges, water chestnuts, sweet onion, and tender chicken, all mixed with a 3-ingredient teriyaki dressing.
Teriyaki Chicken Salad
Teriyaki Chicken Salad combines pasta, spinach, nuts, oranges, water chestnuts, sweet onion, and tender chicken, all mixed with a 3-ingredient teriyaki dressing.
Course Dinner, Main Course, Salad, Side Dish Keyword Teriyaki Chicken Salad
Prep Time 25 minutes minutes Total Time 25 minutes minutes
Chelsea Lords
InstructionsCombine dressing ingredients in a resealable glass jar. Shake to mix. Store in the fridge, shaking again before using.Bring a large pot of 12 cups water to a rolling boil. Add 1 tbsp salt and pasta. Cook according to package directions for “al dente.” Drain, rinse under cold water for 20 seconds, shake off excess water, and set aside to cool completely.Once pasta is cooled, add all the salad toppings. Drizzle with desired amount of dressing (you may not need all) and gently toss. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy immediately!The salad is best enjoyed the same day it’s made. The longer it sits, the more the pasta absorbs the dressing, which can make it taste dry. To avoid this, add the dressing slowly as needed and toss often.
Recipe NotesNote 1: The teriyaki sauce is key to the dressing. I recommend Mr. Yoshida’s teriyaki sauce, but any good quality, thick teriyaki sauce you love will work.
Nutrition FactsServing: 1serving | Calories: 362kcal | Carbohydrates: 55g | Protein: 21g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 30mg | Sodium: 569mg | Potassium: 519mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 16g | Vitamin A: 2031IU | Vitamin C: 20mg | Calcium: 63mg | Iron: 2mg
We do our best to provide accurate nutritional analysis for our recipes. Our nutritional data is calculated using a third-party algorithm and may vary, based on individual cooking styles, measurements, and ingredient sizes. Please use this information for comparison purposes and consult a health professional for nutrition guidance as needed.
