Sesame Chicken Pasta Salad

After months of pinning recipes on Pinterest, this is my first one to actually make. Oddly enough, I found it only a few days ago, and thankfully had the perfect reason to test it out. Chris and Eloy have been playing soccer with other members of our orchestra the past few Saturdays. The game starts at noon, but they leave around 10am, because of the hour long commute and to catch a ride with a friend. The big question? When to eat lunch. There is no time for them between 10am and about 3pm to eat. Enter this amazing pasta salad.

I made the pasta salad the night before, but decided not to add the green onion and cilantro until right before. I didn't want it to get soggy, but looking back I think it would've been fine. This was perfect because they were able to get their carbs in before playing, and it traveled incredibly well. The next time I talked to Chris, he told me he loved the pasta salad, even before I had a chance to ask him. This is coming from a man who I have to bombard with questions after I make something to get some kind of concrete response. Am I the only girl out there who hates the word "sure" in response to a question?

Not only is this salad delicious, it takes no time to make. If you already have cooked chicken, this dish will take you all of 15 minutes to prepare. You can also use the sesame dressing recipe for other salads. I'll definitely be making this again, especially if I'm going back to graduate school next year. It's the perfect lunch!

Sesame Chicken Pasta Salad

Ingredients

1 (16oz) package bow tie pasta

1/4 cup sesame seeds

1/2 cup vegetable oil (I used 1/4 cup without any problems, though if you plan of having this last you a few days, maybe use the full amount of oil)

1/3 cup rice vinegar

1/3 cup soy sauce

1 teaspoon sesame oil

3 tablespoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

3 cups cooked chicken (shredded or cut up into small chunks)

1/3 cup cilantro (chopped)

1/3 cup green onion (sliced)

Directions

Heat a skillet over medium high heat. Add sesame seeds and cook while stirring until they are lightly browned. Remove from heat and set aside. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook according to package direction until Al Dente. Drain pasta and cool. Transfer to a very large bowl.

In a jar with a tight fitting lid, add the sesame seeds, vegetable oil, vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, sugar, ginger, and black pepper. Shake well. Pour the dressing over the noodles. Add the chicken and mix well. Add the green onions and cilantro and serve.

Recipe Source: Adapted from Blog Chef