Description
Sesame Pasta Salad with Chicken is a delicious and easy-to-prepare Asian-inspired cold pasta salad. Featuring tender rotini pasta, cooked chicken breast, and a tangy sesame dressing with soy sauce, rice vinegar, and sesame oil, this salad is perfect as a refreshing dinner side dish or a satisfying main. With vibrant flavors from ginger, garlic powder, cilantro, and green onions, it is ideal for sharing and makes great leftovers.
Ingredients
Pasta
- 1 pound rotini pasta
Dressing
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1/3 cup low sodium soy sauce
- 1/3 cup rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
Salad Mix
- 1 bag coleslaw mix
- 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
- 1/4 cup green onions, chopped
- 2 cups chicken breast, cooked and chopped
Garnish
- Sesame seeds, optional for garnish
Instructions
- Cook Pasta: Cook the rotini pasta according to package directions but stop 1 minute before it is fully done to keep it slightly firm. Drain the pasta without rinsing; this helps retain flavor and texture. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes to cool and allow some steam to escape.
- Prepare Dressing and Mix Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the vegetable oil, low sodium soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, sugar, ground ginger, and garlic powder until well blended. Add the chopped cilantro, coleslaw mix, and green onions to the bowl and stir to combine.
- Add Pasta and Chicken: Add the cooled but not rinsed pasta along with the cooked and chopped chicken breast to the bowl with the dressing and vegetables. Toss everything thoroughly to ensure even coating of the dressing.
- Chill and Serve: Refrigerate the pasta salad for at least 1 hour before serving to allow flavors to meld and the salad to chill. When ready to serve, optionally sprinkle sesame seeds on top as a garnish for added crunch and visual appeal.
Notes
- Do not rinse pasta after draining to help the dressing adhere better.
- Using low sodium soy sauce helps control the saltiness of the salad.
- Allowing the salad to chill enhances the flavor melding.
- For added texture, you can toast the sesame seeds before garnishing.
- This dish works well as a make-ahead meal and is great for picnics or potlucks.