Thank you everyone for your kind words last week. I can’t express how much that meant. Though I’m sure it’ll be tough for a while, my family is doing much better.
It’s finally starting to warm up in LA again, so I decided to make my mom’s Chinese chicken pasta salad. Growing up, I remember my family and I eating this cold pasta by our pool on warm summer days. But since I’m limited to eating the pasta at my work desk now, I’ll just have to pretend that I’m on a comfortable pool chair, clad in my bikini, soaking up the sun. A girl can dream, right?
Home sweet home.
Recipe:
1 lb. angel hair pasta
3/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup peanut oil
3/4 cup good quality mayonnaise
1 tbsp. Grey Poupon Dijon mustard
1-3 tsp. sesame seed oil
1/8 tsp. House of Tseng Chili Oil (or other brand)
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, poached then shredded
2 carrots, peeled then finely diced
1 red bell pepper, finely diced
1 can (8 oz.) sliced water chestnuts, drained
1/2 cup parsley, chopped
Green onions, to taste
1/2 lb. chopped snow peas, if desired
Directions:
Bring a large pot of water to a boil, then add pasta. Cook about 4 minutes, until slightly softer than al dente. Strain and let cool.
Move pasta to a large bowl and toss with 1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce. Next add 1/4 cup peanut oil. Always add soy then oil. Cool until room temperature.
Combine the mayonnaise with mustard, sesame oil, chili oil and 1/4 cup soy sauce. Refrigerate.
Bring another large pot of water to a boil, then add chicken. Poach until cooked through, about 20 minutes. Remove chicken and place in bowl. Once cooled, shred chicken.
Add chicken, green onion, carrots, red pepper and water chestnuts to the mayonnaise mixture. Mix ingredients. Pour mixture into bowl with noodles and fully incorporate. Add snow peas, if desired.
If salad seems to dry, add a bit of extra soy sauce, peanut oil or mayonnaise, to taste. Serve cold.
Yum! This looks like a great summer dinner! I live the Chinesse flavors in it.
What a beautiful salad with so many lovely flavours. And I love that first photo – very clever!
What a dish my friend! Light summery and perfect :)
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
Oh NO! You have to find someone with a pool and eat this there! So beautiful.. even i might try this one.. I love sold pasta salads! c
love chicken pasta and i can only imagine how amazing this is with the Chinese flavors! Perfection
I really love this dish Caroline. It’s light, includes chicken and is perfect for any day of the week. I really love this dish. I think I may try this out on Saturday afternoon :)
Yum. This looks perfect for outdoor eating weather!
Glad you’re back!
Now this is a beautiful salad and so filling, too! Like you, I think it would be a perfect meal for a hot Summer’s night. I’ll let you know. :)
That fork looks like it is holding the perfect bite! I like the larger pieces of parsley and the balance of colors–looks very tasty.
That looks great. The pool and the pasta!
Your home is lovely! It looks so fun and inviting. I would like an invite for margs and tanning soon!
Um, wow, totally jealous of your parent’s backyard! :) So glad you and your family are doing better with each day. I love memories that transport me to childhood! This sounds delicious.
I wish I could say that springs were fun and warm here in SLC, but the weather is up and down. It drives me nuts. But this salad would make me feel a lot better. :-)
Caroline,
glad to hear your family is doing better.
Keep Cooking / Baking :)
It is such great therapy.
This looks Incred <3
Caroline what a superb salad and swimming pool – think I would live out there in the summer. glad you are back.
:-) Mandy xo
It’s funny how certain foods can take us right back in time to sweet memories! I think I’d like this pasta with or without memories – it sounds delicious! I love salads with Asian flavors!
Ohhh … this makes me wish it were warm enough to lounge by a pool and soak up some sun. But sadly, it’s not. (sigh) But it’s a great looking pasta salad. Love the Asian flavors.
that first pic has me drooling!
Great dish – and a great pic! Some lucky soul would be blessed to enjoy this pasta with such a lovely chef in a such a beautiful locale. Thanks for sharing, Caroline!
What a wonderful salad. It sounds delicious and I would imagine it tastes great wherever it is eaten. I hope you have a great day. Blessings…Mary
Looks fab! I dream all the time ;)
Glad things are going better for you, Caroline! This pasta salad looks absolutely amazing – I love the Asian flavor influence!
Now that’s just bragging – about the weather. I’m hoping we might (gasp) get past 60 degrees this weekend, but I’m not holding my breath. Your salad looks lovely, m’dear.
I actually have never made pasta salad. Made pasta before! But not pasta salad! Looks like I’ll have to give this a shot though!
If that is your parents’ pool, I’m dreaming of lounging out there too!! Cold pasta salads on hot days is the way to go! and it has a wonderful blend of flavors that I like. I’m glad to hear your family is feeling better, it will definitely take time as little things will bring up memories… But hopefully they will bring a smile to your faces.
Totally agree with elsellin above – perfect summer dinner, to be enjoyed on a warm evening with a nice chilled glass of white – beautiful :)
Fabulous pool Caroline! Yes, we can definitely dream. LOL. This pasta salad looks delicious – light, summery and flavorful. I’m sure it will take time, but I’m glad to hear you’re all doing a little better. Hugs!
Oh! Dear Caroline, this is so nice, the salad looks so delicious, thanks so much.
Yum! This looks absolutely delicious! Glad your family is doing better. Xo
Gorgeous dish girl! And yes, a girl can certainly dream.
Thats a great looking salad! All in one dish for me. Yum!
This sounds like a wonderful salad to have this summer when salads are so good for dinner on a warm evening.
I love all the flavors going on in this pasta dish. This would be the perfect meal by the pool Caroline. Lovely pool…I want to go there and relax a bit. Glad you are doing better. Take care.
This sounds like the perfect summer meal
I love all the flavors in it
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