Bowtie Chicken Salad

(photo courtesy of Real Mom Kitchen)

There is something about summer and delicious salads that go so well together! I've got a few new salads to try on my dinner menu for the next couple of weeks, so stay tuned! I made this salad earlier this week and it was delicious! The trick to successful salads in our house is making them hearty enough to fill Joe up - served with fresh french bread, this salad did the trick!

The great thing about this salad is that you make a majority of it ahead of time - you can even make it the night before... more time for the ingredients to soak up the tasty dressing!

Ingredients

16oz. Bowtie pasta, boiled until tender


6 large chicken breasts, boiled till cooked, cut into bite size pieces.


3 can mandarin oranges, drained


2 cups water chestnuts, drained


1/2 cup parsley, finely chopped


1 bunch green onions, chopped


3/4 cup honey roasted peanuts


6oz. cranberries


10oz. fresh spinach (add spinach before serving)


1/4 cup sunflower seeds

Dressing

1 cup olive oil

1/2 tsp salt

6 tablespoons sugar

2/3 cup white whine vinegar


2/3 cup teriyaki sauce


1/2 teaspoon pepper


Whisk all the dressing ingredients together and set aside

Combine all the ingredients except the spinach. Place overnight in the refrigerator in a tupperware or ziplock bag.

Before serving: Mix together refrigerated ingredients and spinach…serve.

Serves 10 people