• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Barbara Bakes™
  • Home
  • About
  • Info
  • Contact
  • Press
  • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • Breads
  • Breakfast
  • Dessert
    • Cakes
    • Cookies
    • Ice Cream
    • Pastry
    • All Desserts »
  • Main Dishes
    • Beef
    • Chicken
    • Pork
    • Pasta
    • Meatless
    • All Main Dishes »
  • Side Dishes
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Home
  • About
  • Recipes
  • Baking Tips
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • search icon
    Homepage link
    • Home
    • About
    • Recipes
    • Baking Tips
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • ×

    Home » Recipes » Main Dishes » Chicken

    Quick Asian Spinach Salad

    Published by Melissa on July 7, 2021 | Updated February 28, 2023 | 6 Comments

    Pin
    Share
    Tweet
    Jump to Recipe

    This Quick Asian Spinach Salad is packed with spinach, pasta, crunchy bean sprouts, carrots and water chestnuts, with protein from rotisserie chicken for a satisfying lunch or dinner. 

    bowl of asian spinach and pasta salad

    Warm months call for light eating, and this easy salad with rotisserie chicken is a go-to at my house. It has a wonderful sesame dressing for an Asian flavor profile and is incredibly easy to throw together. 

    ❤️ Why You’ll Love This Recipe: This salad is easy to customize, and starts with already-cooked chicken so there’s no cooking necessary. It’s a great way to use leftover chicken and veggies in an Asian-inspired dish. 

    pinterest button for asian spinach salad

    How to Make Asian Spinach Salad

    You’ll first want to cook the bowtie pasta for the salad so it can cool a bit before you toss everything together. 

    Tip: Add a drop of oil to your pasta water. This will prevent your pasta from sticking together when you strain it.

    When your pasta is done cooking, cool it down quickly with an ice bath or by rinsing under cold water. 

    Meanwhile, you can prep the remaining ingredients. To toss the salad, I recommend tongs or two large serving utensils to make sure everything is well-coated in the delicious dressing. 

    collage of ingredients for Asian spinach salad with chicken

    Ingredient Swaps

    If you don’t have every ingredient for this Asian spinach pasta salad, no worries. Here are some simple swaps you can make:

    • Another kind of short pasta, like rotini or shells will all work in place of bowties. 
    • You can swap baby spinach for another green like chopped kale, arugula or butter lettuce. 
    • If you can’t find beansprouts, you can use chopped cucumbers for the same crunchy effect. 
    • You can use any leftover chicken or protein to replace rotisserie chicken. This salad is also great with diced grilled lemon pork chops the day after a summer barbecue.  
    • Feel free to add any other herbs you like. Fresh basil or oregano are all delicious in this Asian salad. 
    collage of tossing spinach and pasta salad with rotisserie chicken

    Storage

    This salad is best the day it’s made. However, you can store the undressed salad in an airtight container for up to two days. Just before serving, you can add the dressing and coat. 

    If you leave the dressed salad in the fridge, the spinach will wilt. 

    white bowl of asian spinach and pasta salad with carrots

    More Salad Recipes to Try

    Here are more of our favorite refreshing and vegetable-packed salad recipes to try next:

    • Chicken Satay Noodle Salad has spaghetti and rotisserie chicken in a savory peanut dressing. 
    • Pasta Caprese Salad has the Italian flavors of fresh tomato and creamy mozzarella with pasta for added texture. 
    • Instant Pot Cilantro Lime Chicken Taco Salad from Pressure Cooking Today is a crunchy salad loaded with juicy chicken, black beans and fresh veggies. 

    Looking for something to go with your salad? Try my homemade BBQ Pork Bun Recipe (Baked Char Siu Bao) with marinated and grilled pork tenderloin and fluffy homemade roll dough to make a traditional Chinese dim sum meal at home.

    bowl of asian spinach and pasta salad
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate this Recipe
    No ratings yet

    Quick Asian Spinach Salad

    This Quick Asian Spinach Salad gets a short-cut from rotisserie chicken. Bowtie pasta, crunchy veggies and a sesame dressing round out a satisfying dish. 
    Cook Time8 minutes mins
    Additional Time10 minutes mins
    Total Time18 minutes mins
    Course: Salads
    Cuisine: American
    Keyword: asian spinach salad
    Servings: 4 -6 Servings
    Calories: 452kcal
    Author: Barbara Bakes LLC
    Prevent your screen from going to sleep

    Equipment

    • Ball 4-Ounce Quilted Crystal Jelly Regular Mouth Jars with Lids and Bands, Set of 12
    • OXO Good Grips 3-Piece Stainless-Steel Mixing Bowl Set, White
    • OXO Good Grips 8-Inch Fine Mesh Strainer

    Ingredients

    • 12 ounces bowtie pasta
    • 5 ounces baby spinach
    • 1 8- ounce can sliced water chestnuts drained
    • 1 cup bean sprouts
    • 1 cup matchstick carrots
    • 2 cups chopped rotisserie chicken
    • ½ cup Asian toasted sesame dressing
    • Chopped cilantro and sesame seeds for serving optional

    Instructions

    • Cook pasta according to package directions (add a drop of vegetable oil to the cooking water, optional). Once pasta is tender but firm, strain the pasta and then soak it (in the strainer) in an ice bath to cool it quickly. Remove from water and strain again to remove any water.
    • Add cooked pasta, spinach, water chestnuts, bean sprouts, carrots and chicken to a large bowl and use tongs to mix together. 
    • When ready to serve, add the dressing and toss to mix together. Add additional dressing to taste. Top with cilantro and sesame seeds if desired.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1g | Calories: 452kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 33g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 16g | Cholesterol: 87mg | Sodium: 619mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 5g
    Pin
    Share
    Tweet
    « Carrot Cake With Pineapple
    Air Fryer Baked Potatoes »
    about us

    About Melissa & Barbara

    As of June 2022 Melissa Griffiths now is the one adding recipes. So think of it as Barbara Bakes, and Melissa too! Melissa and Barbara have been blogging friends for over 10 years and when Barbara was ready to retire and spend more time with her family, Melissa took over the site. Read more...

      • Facebook
      • Instagram
      • Pinterest
      • Twitter

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      Leave a Reply Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Recipe Rating




    1. Jenny

      July 21, 2008 at 5:20 am

      Hi Barbara,
      I left you a little award on my blog! Have a great week!

      Reply
    2. Megan

      July 19, 2008 at 5:19 pm

      I’ll have to pick up some of the dressing and give this salad a try. It looks delicious!

      Reply
    3. Jenny

      July 16, 2008 at 5:30 am

      How fun, I have that exact dressing in my fridge, this recipe sounds like a keeper. I’ll have to pick up the rest of the ingredients this week! Have a good week Barbara!

      Reply
    4. HoneyB

      July 15, 2008 at 8:39 am

      This looks so good and easy! (not to mention quick!).

      Reply
    5. ~Priscilla~

      July 15, 2008 at 2:57 am

      that looks “so” good!! i can taste it with all the seasame seeds on there!

      Reply

    Primary Sidebar

    Welcome!

    Melissa and Barbara smiling

    Baking made easy! Sharing fabulous recipes for cookies, cakes, pies, breads and more. Barbara Bakes (and Melissa too!) Recipes from both of our kitchens to yours.

    Learn More »

    Popular Posts

    A Smash Cake for Baby's first birthday

    Easy-To-Make Smash Cake for a First Birthday Party

    cracked top baked and neat rows of neiman marcus cookies stacked on a white plate

    Neiman Marcus Cookie Recipe

    Three small loaves of French bread in a basket with a blue and white napkin

    Julia Child’s French Bread

    quiche in a pan with serving utensils and stacked plates

    Meat Lovers Quiche Recipe

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    SEEN ON

    as seen on promo graphic

    SEEN ON

    as seen on promo graphic

    About

    • Home
    • About
    • Contact
    • Press

    Browse

    • Recipe Index
    • Popular
    • Baking Tips
    • Travel

    Subscribe

    • Newsletter
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest

    As an Amazon affiliate, and affiliate with other businesses, I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2022 barbarabakes.com. All rights reserved. DISCLOSURE - PRIVACY POLICY.