Chinese Chicken Pasta Salad
Pasta salads are my go-to for potlucks, meal prep lunches, and summer dinners, but it’s so easy to get stuck in a rut with the same old recipes and flavors. I came up with the idea for this one when I was bored of all the basics, and if you love bold flavors and tons of satisfying crunch, I think you’ll love it too!
Want more salad ideas? Check out my chipotle chicken salad, Mexican street corn salad, honey mustard chicken salad, and Mediterranean chickpea salad.
The combination of tender chicken, crisp vegetables, crunchy chow mein noodles, and a creamy sesame soy dressing gives it a little bit of that Chinese chicken salad vibe, but in pasta salad form. Every bite has something different going on, whether it’s the crunch from the water chestnuts, the freshness of the vegetables, or the savory dressing coating everything.
It’s hearty enough to serve as a meal on its own (I served this for dinner twice last week whilst I was perfecting the final tweaks!), but it also fits right in at cookouts, potlucks, and summer gatherings where you want to bring something a little different to the party.
What You’ll Need
For the Salad:
- Cooked shredded chicken
- Rotini pasta
- Snow peas
- Napa cabbage
- Shredded carrots
- Red bell pepper
- Water chestnuts
- Scallions
- Chow mein noodles
This combination gives the salad its mix of hearty, fresh, and crunchy textures that make it so good.
For the Sesame Dressing:
- Soy sauce
- Mayonnaise
- Plain yogurt
- Ground ginger
- Black pepper
- Sesame seeds
The dressing is creamy, savory, and just a little nutty from the sesame seeds, bringing all the ingredients together without feeling heavy!
How To Make Chinese Chicken Pasta Salad
The chicken, pasta, crunchy vegetables, and chow mein noodles all get combined in a large bowl before being coated in a creamy sesame soy dressing. After a short chill in the refrigerator, the flavors have a chance to come together and the result is a pasta salad that’s creamy, crunchy, savory, and perfect for making ahead.
Super simple and no fuss!
Recipe Notes & Tips
- Rotisserie chicken is a great shortcut and works perfectly in place of cooking chicken from scratch.
- Make sure the pasta is completely cooled before mixing everything together so the dressing stays creamy and doesn’t get absorbed too quickly.
- If you’re making this ahead of time, wait to add the chow mein noodles until just before serving so they stay crunchy.
- Give the salad at least 30 minutes in the fridge before serving. The flavor gets even better once everything has had a chance to mingle.
- Feel free to chop the vegetables a little smaller if you’re serving this at a potluck or picnic. It makes the salad easier to scoop and eat.
- If the salad seems a little dry after chilling, stir in a spoonful of yogurt or a splash of soy sauce to freshen it back up.
Swaps & Variations
- Rotisserie chicken is an easy shortcut, but any cooked shredded or diced chicken works well.
- Swap the rotini for bowties, penne, or even spaghetti broken into smaller pieces.
- Napa cabbage can be replaced with coleslaw mix, shredded green cabbage, or romaine lettuce.
- Try adding mandarin oranges for a little sweetness.
- Sliced almonds, peanuts, or cashews make a great addition if you want even more crunch.
- For a lighter dressing, replace some of the mayonnaise with extra yogurt.
- You can also add edamame, cucumbers, or extra bell peppers to bulk it up with more vegetables.
- Want a little heat? Add a drizzle of sriracha or a pinch of red pepper flakes to the dressing.
Chinese Chicken Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 2 cups cooked shredded chicken
- 1 cup fresh snow peas
- 1/2 cup shredded carrots
- 1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
- 4 cups cooked rotini
- 1 1/2 cups chopped napa cabbage
- 8 oz can sliced water chestnuts drained
- 1 cup chow mein noodles
- 1/4 cup chopped scallions
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 2/3 cup plain yogurt
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp pepper
- 2 tbsp sesame seeds
Instructions
- Add the chicken, snow peas, carrots, bell pepper, cooked pasta, napa cabbage, water chestnuts, chow mein noodles, and scallions to a large bowl. Toss gently to combine.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, mayonnaise, yogurt, ginger, and pepper until smooth.
- Pour the dressing over the salad and toss until everything is evenly coated.
- Sprinkle the sesame seeds over the top.
- Refrigerate for about 30 minutes to let the flavors come together before serving.
If you’ve tried this recipe, I’d love to hear your thoughts and feedback! It means the world to me, and it really helps others who might be thinking about making this for the first time. You can leave a review and a star rating below.