Spinach Bow-tie Pasta

I got this recipe from a friend in London about 8 years ago. It is so good and beware does feed a crowd. You can always halve this recipe if you have a smaller family and don't want to be eating leftovers for days. The secret to this salad is letting it sit overnight and soak up the dressing.

So delish!

Today's Ingredients:
Salad:
4-6 Chicken Breasts (grilled and sliced)
12 oz. egg pasta cooked
1 orange pepper, stripped
1 yellow pepper, stripped
1 red pepper, stripped
Half bunch fresh spinach
¼ cup sesame seeds toasted
½ cup fresh parsley

Dressing:
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
1/3 cup soy sauce
3 tablespoons sugar
½ cup olive oil*
½ teaspoon salt & pepper

The original recipe calls for 2 greens peppers, 1 yellow pepper and 1 red pepper. I bought a pkg of 6 peppers at costco and really loved using 1 orange, yellow and red. It just made the salad sweeter. So if you can't find what I've listed you can substitute any combination of sweet peppers you want and it will still work out well.

(note added 2/20)

*I made this again today for a friend get together and decided to replace part of the olive oil with sesame oil. Oh my goodness - it just pumped the flavor up. If you have sesame oil replace 1-2 T of the olive oil with sesame oil. I put the sesame oil in a measuring cup first and then filled up my olive oil to 1/2 cup. Try it - amazing!


Salt & pepper and add a little olive oil to your chicken and get it grilling. I only used 2 chickens, but you can use anywhere between 2-6 depending on how many people you are feeding.

Also, get your pasta water going and cook your pasta according to the package.


Toast your sesame seeds. They do have oil in them so make sure you watch them because they can burn very quickly.


Nice and toasty brown.

Mix your spinach, peppers, sesame seeds and parsley all together in a big bowl.


Mix your salad ingredients together.


The chicken is nice and done and ready to be sliced.

Once your pasta is done drain well and add to your spinach ingredients.

Add the sliced chicken and toss well with the dressing ingredients. Let sit overnight. This is crucial to develop the flavors. The salad just won't be the same if you don't do this.

Seriously so good! I made this for a friend for lunch (and then Jordan & I ate lots of leftovers) and she didn't think she liked peppers, but really loved this salad.

Spinach Bow-tie Pasta Printable Recipe