Mandarin Chicken Pasta Salad - Pampered Chef - cooking recipe

Ingredients

Dressing
1 teaspoon fresh gingerroot, peeled and finely minced
1/3 cup rice vinegar or 1/3 cup white wine vinegar
1/4 cup orange juice
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 (1 1/4 ounce) envelope dry onion soup mix
2 teaspoons sugar
1 garlic clove, finely minced
Salad
8 ounces dry bow tie pasta
1/2 cucumber, scored, seeded and sliced
1/2 cup red bell pepper, diced
1/2 cup red onion, coarsely chopped
1 (6 ounce) package baby spinach leaves
1 (11 ounce) can mandarin orange segments, drained
2 cups cooked chicken, diced
1/2 cup sliced almonds, toasted

Preparation

For dressing combine gingerroot, vinegar, orange juice, vegetable oil, sesame oil, soup mix, sugar and garlic; whisk until well blended.
For salad, cook pasta according to package directions; drain and rinse under cold water. Place pasta in a large serving bowl.
While pasta is cooking, slice cucumber, dice bell pepper , and chop onion.
Add cucumber, bell pepper, onion, spinach, mandarin oranges, chicken and almonds to pasta.
Pour dressing over salad; toss well and serve immediately.