This refreshing pasta salad featuring chicken and pineapple is the perfect addition to any picnic. It has a delightful balance of light, vibrant flavors that won’t weigh you down. Its easily customizable nature means you can tweak it to your heart’s content, adding your favorite crunchy veggies, additional nuts like slivered almonds or cashews, or even a different protein. Best of all, if you use wheat-free pasta and soy sauce, it makes a great gluten free salad option. Simple to prepare and even better chilled, it’s a unique side dish that promises to be a crowd-pleaser at your next outdoor gathering.
You’ll notice this recipe’s dressing flips the script a bit on the vinegar to oil ratio. Because it contains less oil, it will be a lighter and brighter salad dressing. Taste test the dressing before you add it to your salad. If it seems a bit too acidic, drizzle in a bit more oil. The pineapple juice and soy sauce also helps balance the flavors and add sweetness.
Sesame Chicken Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts (I used rotisserie chicken for this recipe. If you want to save time and skip the poaching step, this is a great option!)
- 2 12 oz boxes bowtie, fusilli, or your favorite shaped pasta
- 4 TBSP sesame seeds
- 3/4 cup rice vinegar
- 4 TBSP sugar
- 2 TBSP dijon mustard
- 2 TBSP fresh ginger grated
- 2 TBSP soy sauce
- 15 1/4 oz can pineapple tidbits drained, juice reserved.
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1-2 tsp of toasted sesame oil
- 2 green onion bunches, finely chopped
- 1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
- 4-5 celery stalks finely sliced
- several sprigs of cilantro, if desired
Directions
- Prepare the Chicken: If poaching the chicken, place the chicken breasts on a clean, hard surface and cover them with plastic wrap. Using a kitchen mallet, pound the chicken until it’s about 1/4 inch thick.
- Poach the Chicken: Arrange the flattened chicken breasts in a large, heavy skillet and add enough water to just cover them. Bring the water to a slow simmer over low heat without covering the skillet. Once the chicken begins to simmer, turn the breasts over, cover the skillet, and remove it from the heat. Let the chicken sit for 15-20 minutes, or until it’s no longer pink inside. Transfer the cooked chicken to a cutting board and let it cool completely. Once cool, slice the chicken into thin strips or bite-sized pieces.
- Cook the Pasta: Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Drain the pasta and rinse it thoroughly under cool water.
- Toast the Sesame Seeds: In a dry, heavy skillet, stir the sesame seeds over medium heat for approximately 2-3 minutes, or until they are lightly toasted. Watch them closely to prevent burning. Set the toasted sesame seeds aside.
- Make the Dressing: In a medium bowl, whisk together the rice vinegar and sugar until the sugar completely dissolves. Stir in the Dijon mustard, grated fresh ginger, and soy sauce. Then, add the reserved pineapple juice from the drained pineapple tidbits and whisk everything together well. Stir in the toasted sesame seeds (you may also reserve some seeds as garnish.) Finally, add the vegetable and sesame oils and whisk again to combine. Alternately, you could use a blender for this dressing. Blend all your dressing ingredients except the sesame seeds, drizzling the oil in last as you blend. You can stir the sesame seeds into the dressing after blending, or use some in the dressing and some as a garnish.
- Combine and Chill: In a large bowl, combine the cooled chicken, cooked pasta, drained pineapple tidbits, finely chopped green onions, diced bell pepper, and finely sliced celery. Pour the prepared dressing over the mixture and toss everything together until well coated. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for several hours before serving to allow the flavors to meld. Garnish with cilantro and any reserved toasted sesame seeds.
Clover and Thyme 
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