Saturday, May 19, 2007

Sesame Chicken Pasta Salad

I found this recipe on All Recipes. I sounded really good, so I made it tonight for dinner tomorrow. The reviews on the website said it was better if it sat overnight or for a few hours for the flavors to really get into the pasta. If you include the chicken it can be a main dish, if you leave that out, it's a great side dish.

Ingredients:
1/4 cup sesame seeds (or less if you prefer)
1 (16 ounce) package bow tie pasta
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup light soy sauce
1/3 cup rice vinegar
1 teaspoon sesame oil
3 tablespoons white sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
3 cups shredded, cooked chicken breast meat (optional)
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro or parsley (which ever you prefer)
1/3 cup chopped green onion
Chopped snow peas
Matchstick carrots

Cherry tomatoes halved

Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add sesame seeds, and cook stirring frequently until lightly toasted. Remove from heat, and set aside. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta, and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, or until al dente. Drain pasta, and rinse under cold water until cool. Transfer to a large bowl. In a jar with a tight-fitting lid, combine vegetable oil, soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil, sugar, sesame seeds, ginger, and pepper. Shake well.
Pour sesame dressing over pasta, and toss to coat evenly. Gently mix in chicken and other veggies.


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