WW Recipe of the Day: Chicken Satay Pasta Salad
Diced cooked chicken, pasta, shredded carrots, red bell peppers and basil tossed in a Thai-inspired vinaigrette. This Chicken Satay Pasta Salad is both simple and delicious.
Easy chicken satay pasta salad
Every time I make this easy pasta salad it's a big hit. Even people who didn't think they would like it, have gone back for seconds!
Recipe Notes
Brimming with good for you ingredients - chunks of grilled chicken, crunchy carrots, red bell pepper and fresh basil, this salad makes a great main course lunch or dinner salad for Weight Watchers.
I'm a big fan of Newman's Own Lite Low Fat Sesame Ginger Dressing. It's delicious and has only 35 calories in a 2 tablespoon serving.
The last time I made it, I used gluten-free brown rice pasta with good results. but any whole grain pasta should work.
How Many Calories and WW Points in this Pasta Salad?
According to my calculations, each serving has 302 calories and:
7 *SmartPoints (Green plan)
7 *SmartPoints (Blue plan)
4 *SmartPoints (Purple plan)
8 *PointsPlus (Old plan)
To see your WW PersonalPoints for this recipe and track it in the WW app or site, Click here!
How to Make Satay Pasta Salad with Chicken
Step 1: Gather and prepare all ingredients.
Ready to make the satay pasta salad
Step 2: Cook pasta according to package directions in a large pot. Drain the pasta and rinse it well under cold running water. Once pasta is cool, transfer it to a large mixing bowl (affiliate link) and set it aside.
Step 3: Meanwhile make the dressing. Whisk together the vinaigrette, Asian seasoning mix and peanut butter in small bowl (affiliate link) and set it aside.
Mixing dressing for pasta salad
Step 4: Cut the carrots into skinny julienne strips.
Step 5: Cut bell pepper lengthwise into skinny ¼-inch strips.
Step 6: Cut carrots and bell pepper strips crosswise into 1-in. pieces.
Step 7: Add the chicken, carrots, bell pepper, chopped peanuts and chopped basil and stir to mix all ingredients.
Mix together pasta, basil, red bell pepper, carrots and peanuts
Pour the dressing over the salad and mix well.
Pour in the dressing and mix well
Step 8: Garnish with additional chopped peanuts, if desired.
Peanut satay pasta salad with chicken
Variations and Additions
No chicken?
Substitute with your favorite lean protein. I think chopped shrimp or sriracha tofu would be delicious.
No basil?
Use an equal amount of chopped cilantro.
No Asian spices?
Asian spices can be difficult to find in some areas, so if you can't find it leave it out and it will still be delicious. I mixed the dressing with just a lite sesame ginger dressing and peanut butter and it tasted great.
No peanut butter?
This recipe only calls for 2 tablespoons of peanut butter. To make it a little lighter, make you own by mixing powdered peanut butter (affiliate link) with water.
If you like this Thai Chicken Satay Pasta Salad, be sure to check out my other WW friendly pasta salads including Italian Sub Pasta Salad, Pasta Salad with Ham and Peas and Pasta Salad with Walnuts, Blue Cheese and Arugula
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Easy Chicken Satay Pasta Salad Recipe
Ingredients
- 8 ounces uncooked bow tie whole grain pasta
- 1 cup lite Asian vinaigrette salad dressing (such as Newman's Own Lite Sesame Ginger)
- 2 tablespoons Asian Seasoning Mix**
- 2 tablespoons peanut butter
- 2 medium carrots, peeled
- 1 medium red bell pepper
- ½ cup dry-roasted peanuts, roughy chopped
- 1 cup lightly packed fresh basil, roughly chopped
- 3 cups diced cooked lean chicken breast (about 1 pound)
- Additional chopped peanuts for garnish, optional
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to package directions in a large pot. Drain the pasta and rinse it well under cold running water. Once pasta is cool, transfer it to a large mixing bowl (affiliate link) and set it aside.
- Meanwhile make the dressing. Whisk together the vinaigrette, Asian seasoning mix and peanut butter in small bowl (affiliate link) and set it aside.
- Cut the carrots into skinny julienne strips.
- Cut bell pepper lengthwise into skinny ¼-inch strips.
- Cut carrots and bell pepper strips crosswise into 1-in. pieces.
- Add the chicken, carrots, bell pepper, chopped peanuts,chopped basil and dressing to the pasta and mix well.
- Garnish with additional chopped peanuts, if desired.
Equipment
Recipe Notes
No chicken? Substitute with your favorite lean protein. I think chopped shrimp or sriracha tofu would be delicious. No basil? Use an equal amount of chopped cilantro. No Asian spices? Asian spices can be difficult to find in some areas, so if you can't find it leave it out and it will still be delicious. I mixed the dressing with just a lite sesame ginger dressing and peanut butter and it tasted great. No peanut butter? This recipe only calls for 2 tablespoons of peanut butter. To make it a little lighter, make you own by mixing powdered peanut butter (affiliate link) with water. Serving size: 1 cup Click here to see your WW PersonalPoints for this recipe and track it in the WW app or site. 7 *SmartPoints (Green plan) 7 *SmartPoints (Blue plan) 4 *SmartPoints (Purple plan) 8 *PointsPlus (Old plan)
Source: adapted from The Pampered Chef
*Points® calculated by WW. *PointsPlus® and SmartPoints® calculated by Simple Nourished Living; Not endorsed by Weight Watchers International, Inc. All recipe ingredients except optional items included in determining nutritional estimates. SmartPoints® values calculated WITHOUT each plan's ZeroPoint Foods (Green plan, Blue plan, Purple plan) using the WW Recipe Builder.
If you like this easy chicken satay pasta salad you might also like:
- Skinny Curried Chicken Salad
- Chicken Quinoa Salad with Dried Fruit
- Pasta Salad with Blue Cheese, Walnuts and Arugula
Martha is the founder and main content writer for Simple-Nourished-Living.
A longtime lifetime WW at goal, she is committed to balancing her love of food and desire to stay slim while savoring life and helping others do the same.
She is the author of the Smart Start 28-Day Weight Loss Challenge.
A huge fan of the slow cooker and confessed cookbook addict, when she's not experimenting in the kitchen, you're likely to find Martha on her yoga mat.
This post contains affiliate links to products I like. When you buy something through one of my Amazon links or other (affiliate links), I receive a small commission that helps support this site. Thank you for your purchase!
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