Sesame Chicken Salad

This is one of my favorite summer salads. When I was pregnant with my son I wanted to make sure that I was getting enough healthy foods in.  Although I was not fond of raw spinach, the dressing on this salad made me obsessed with eating spinach!  It's a light salad with a sweet tangy dressing.

Plan ahead as the bow tie pasta needs to marinate in the dressing for at least 2 hours before putting the salad together.  To make it healthier I use Barilla Plus pasta which has added fiber, protein and Omega 3.  I also use Soy Vay Veri Veri Teriyaki because it's one of the few store bought brands that does not use high fructose corn syrup!

Ingredients

• 1/2 package (8 ounces) bow tie / farfalle pasta
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 2/3 cup white wine vinegar
• 2/3 cup teriyaki sauce
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 2 cans (11 ounces each) mandarin oranges, drained
• 2 cups cubed cooked chicken
• 1-1/3 cups honey-roasted peanuts
• 1 package (9 ounces) fresh spinach, torn
• 1 package (6 ounces) dried cranberries
• 6 green onions, chopped
• 1/2 cup minced fresh parsley
• 1/4 cup sesame seeds, toasted

Directions

1. Cook pasta according to package directions; drain and place in a very large bowl.
2. In a small bowl, combine the oil, vinegar, teriyaki sauce, sugar and pepper. Pour over pasta and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours.
3. Just before serving, add the remaining ingredients; gently toss to coat. 

Adapted from: Taste of Home