Sesame Pasta Chicken Salad

When I was at college (or at "Uni" for those reading this from the UK) my best friend and roommate Ashley cooked very little. My other best friend and roommate Anna cooked a little. And Jeremy, the surrogate roommate and final best friend cooked a lot. And although Jeremy and I were always making feasts for our friends, Anna and Ashley did bring two kick ass recipes to the fray. I'm sure that I'll one day share with you Anna's awesome Oatmeal chocolate chip cookie recipe; as soon as I get permission from her and locate a tub of Crisco.... But first- and without her permission, let's go over the only pasta salad I like. Nay, LOVE. Ashley made this regularly and kept in our fridge. OUR fridge. It was at this point in my life that I had to learn restraint because damn is this stuff good. So tangy and sweet at the same time- and gets better the longer it sits in the fridge! And I know Ash got this recipe from her mother, so my theoretical hat is off to Ms. Haynes for this awesome recipe which has spiced up many of my office lunches.

So lets get semi-cooking! (because it's just that easy people)



Here's what you're gonna need- more or less.

Chop up some green onions (aka: salad onions to my homies in the UK) and if you're gonna use cilantro (blech) chop that up too. If you don't have pre-cooked chicken, just slather two chicken breasts with some sesame oil and bake in the oven until cooked, about 12 minutes. Then shred.

Mix up the dressing. And I'm not sure how useful this picture is since it's so friggin blurry... it was late, I was tired- my arm was obviously giving up...

In a large bowl, toss your cooked pasta, chopped spring onions (and cilantro if you like the stuff...) and about 3 cups of cooked and shredded chicken- Add in the dressing- mix and stick it in the fridge to cool for about 3 hours or overnight.

And Voila! Absolutely delicious!!! and dead easy!

Sesame Pasta Chicken Salad

• 1 Bag of bow tie pasta (16 oz)
• 3 cups cooked & shredded chicken
• 1/3 cup cilantro
• 1/3 cup green onions

for the dressing

• 1/4 cup toasted sesame seeds
• 1/2 cup Vegetable Oil
• 1/3 cup soy sauce
• 1/3 cup rice wine vinegar
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 3 tblsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger

Cook pasta until al dente. Drain and let cool

Chop up your spring onions and cilantro. Add everything minus the dressing to a large bowl.

Whisk up all the ingredients for the dressing and pour it over the pasta salad. Mix well.

Refrigerate overnight (or several hours)