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Looking for an easy chicken pasta salad recipe? Try this colorful, delicious Pecan Topped Cranberry Pasta Salad!

WELCOME TO MIX IT UP MONDAY WITH MAD DASH MIXES

WEEK 123

WHAT ARE WE MIXIN’ UP THIS WEEK?

I love an easy to make chicken pasta salad! This Pecan Topped Cranberry pasta salad is great for a quick lunch. The mandarin orange slices, pecan pieces and the dried cranberries add just the right hint of color as well adding delicious flavor to the pasta salad!

It would be perfect to serve if you are having a friend visit for the weekend. This was one of my go to recipes for a quick and delicious pasta salad!

Quick & Easy Chicken Pasta Salad

Cranberry Pasta Salad is one of the pasta salads that Mad Dash Mixes offers. They also have a Mediterranean Pasta Salad which is also very easy to make and delicious!

I met the folks from Mad Dash Mixes when I was at a convention about a year and a half ago. They have developed a number of tasty mixes ranging from dips to soups, salads & desserts. Their mixes can be found at www.MadDashMixes.com. By using the code farmhouse my readers can receive a 15% discount off of their order.

The Cranberry Pasta Salad comes with bow tie pasta and the seasoning packet that includes the dried cranberries. You will need to purchase a can of mandarin orange slices and a bag of pecan pieces. 2 cups of cooked chicken will also be needed to add to the salad.

I used already cooked chicken breasts that I cut into small cubes. Canned chicken could be used as well.

Mix 1/2 cup mayonnaise with the seasoning packet. Add the chicken to the mayonnaise/seasoning packet and blend well.

Add the orange slices and then add this to the cooked bow tie pasta. Chill for 1 hour.

A helpful tip: if you don’t have mayonnaise, you can use greek yogurt in place of the mayonnaise.

Before Nuts were Added

After the pasta salad has chilled, you are ready to serve it. If you don’t want to add the pecans, you don’t have to!

After the Pecans are Sprinkled on Top

The nuts are sprinkled on top right before serving! The pecan pieces add color and great taste to the salad.

Pecan Topped Cranberry Pasta Salad

delicious pasta salad with chicken, mandarin oranges, chopped pecans & cranberries

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 8

chill finished salad 1

Total Time 1 20

Course Main Course

Servings servings

Equipment

dutch oven
spatula
glass measuring cup

Ingredients

1/2 cup mayonnaise
15 oz can of Mandarin oranges
2 cups cooked, cubed chicken
1 cup pecan pieces
1 Cranberry Pasta Salad Mix by Mad Dash Mixes

Instructions

Boil the bow tie pasta for 7 to 9 min. Drain and rinse pasta
Add mayonnaise to the seasoning packet
Add chicken & oranges, stir well.
Add chicken/orange mixture to the bow tie pasta.
Chill for at least 1 hour
spoon pasta salad onto serving plates and top with pecan pieces

Notes

Pecan pieces can be omitted if someone has a nut allergy or doesn't like pecans

If you don't have mayonaise, greek yogurt can be substituted for the mayonnaise.

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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One Last Look!

COOKING WITH KIM

My entrepreneurial journey started with my love of herbs , both growing and cooking with them. My love of herbs eventually led to owning a pizzeria.

After relocating to Florida, I decided to start a blog where I could share my love of cooking, decorating and crafting.

Throughout my culinary career, I have discovered the using mixes can make a cook’s life so much easier! Using a mix to make a recipe is as simple as adding a few ingredients to the mix and then stirring, cooking or chilling and serving! Mixes are such a time saver! After meeting the folks from Mad Dash Mixes* at a blogging conference last summer, I decided to add a weekly blog post featuring recipes using their mixes. Now I am now having a lot of fun working with Mad Dash Mixes. They did send me some products to sample but my opinions about the products are my own. My full disclosure policy can be found on the Disclosure page.

*If you would like to try some of their products, I have arranged for you to receive a 15% discount if you use the code farmhouse. Orders can be placed at http://www.MadDashMixes.com

Disclosure: this post was written in collaboration with Mad Dash Mixes

All opinions are my own.