Recipes for Oriental and Orange Pasta Salads

I have had requests for both salads and desserts from yesterday's luncheon post. Today I will give you the salad secrets....desserts to follow this week.

Orange Chicken Bowtie Salad

Ingredients:

17 oz. pkg farfalle pasta

4 boneless chicken breast

2 tbsp. olive oil

kosher salt and coarse black pepper

2 15 ounce cans black beans

1 lg red pepper diced

1 lg orange pepper diced

1 lg yellow pepper diced

6 green onions, sliced

1 bunch cilantro, rough chopped

3 cups arugula and spinach ( greens of your choice)

Directions:

1. Cook pasta al dente according to package directions.

2. Slice chicken breast through the middle, creating two halves. Heat grill pan on high with olive oil until oil begins to pop. Lightly salt and pepper chicken pieces and place on hot grill pan. Cook each side until golden brown and the grill marks show. Set aside; cover the chicken with foil so it will remain moist.

3. Drain and rinse pasta in cold water. Transfer to large serving bowl.

 

4. Drain and rinse black beans. Add to the pasta.

5. Remove seeds from peppers and dice.

6. Chop cilantro and slice onions.

9. Add bell peppers and onions to the pasta bowl.

 

10. Slice the chicken on the diagonal. Then cut into bite size pieces. Add to the pasta.

11. Prepare:

Orange Cream Dressing

2 oranges, zest and juice

1 cup sour cream

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1/4 tsp coarse black pepper

1 tbsp milk

2 tbsp sugar

In a mixing bowl whisk all ingredients together.

12. Toss pasta salad mixtue with the Cream Orange Dressing. Coat evely and refrigerate for 2 to 4 hours.

14. Before serving toss the salad greens with the chilled pasta and serve.

This recipe came from "The Gathering of Friends", Volume Five. "Come and Gather at My Table".

Oriental Chicken Salad

 

Ingredients:

Bagged salad greens - I used spring mix

Bagged Broccoli Slaw

1/2 cup sliced almonds, toasted

1 cup Chow Mein Noodles

1 small can Mandarin Orange slices, drained well.

4 green onions, sliced on the diagonal thinly

1/2 bunch cilantro, roughly chopped

2 chicken breasts, grilled

Directions:

1. Heat the grill. Brush the chicken with olive oil. Sprinkle with kosher salt and pepper. Place on hot grill, reduce heat to medium. Turn at 45 degree angle after 5 minutes to get great grill marks. Flip the chicken after another 4-5 minutes. Take the chicken off the grill when firm to touch and completely cooked.

2. Mix together the salad greens, broccoli slaw, almonds,chow mein noodles, orange slices, green onions, and cilantro. Toss together. Refrigerate.

3. Prepare Dressing (This makes the salad!!)

6 Tbsp honey

3 Tbsp Rice Vinegar

1/2 cup mayonnaise ( I used Kraft Olive Oil Mayo)

2 tsp Dijon Mustard

1 TBSP Toasted Sesame Oil ( This is what gives it a deep, intense flavor)

1/2 tsp grated fresh ginger

Blend together honey, rice vinegar, mayo, Dijon mustard , Sesame Oil and ginger with a wire wisk until it is emulsified. Refrigerate till serving time.

4. At serving time, slice the chicken on the diagonal and place several slices on each serving or cut into bite size pieces and toss with the entire bowl.

When ready to serve you can drizzle the dressing on each individual serving or toss with the entire bowl if you are going to eat it all at that time. I tossed the dressing with the bowl of salad because we ate the WHOLE thing!!!

This salad is great, easy to make and will make an impression on your friends....or at least it did on mine!!

The Oriental salad recipe is my adaptation of the recipe in the Six Sister's Stuff cookbook.

Hope everyone enjoys these recipes as much as I enjoyed making them for my friends. Leave me a comment and let me know if you tried them.

Happy Trails,

Mtn Mama

 

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