Chicken Salad with Bow Ties & Mustard-Sesame Dressing

[sajid]

Ginger “juice” and Dijon mustard add a unique intensity to this chicken pasta salad. Make it a meal: Apricot-Almond Clafouti is a delicious finish.
RECIPE INGREDIENTS
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed and poached (see Tip)
1 4-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon reduced-sodium soy sauce
8 ounces snow peas, stems and strings removed
1 pound whole-wheat bow-tie (farfalle) pasta
2 stalks celery, sliced on the bias
1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1/4-inch-by-3-inch strips
2 scallions, green part only, thinly sliced on the diagonal
salt & freshly ground pepper to taste
1 tablespoon sesame seeds, toasted (see Tip)

Tip: To poach chicken breasts: Place boneless, skinless chicken breasts in a medium skillet or saucepan and add lightly salted water to cover; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer gently until chicken is cooked through and no longer pink in the middle, 10 to 12 minutes. To toast sesame seeds: Place in a small dry skillet and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until fragrant and lightly browned, 2 to 4 minutes.

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DIRECTIONS
Thinly slice chicken and chill.

Finely grate ginger into a fine sieve placed over a small bowl. Firmly press out all the liquid with the back of a spoon. (You should have about 1 1/2 tablespoons liquid). Add mustard, vinegar, sesame oil, sugar and soy sauce to the ginger juice and whisk until creamy; set aside.

Bring 4 quarts salted water to a boil. Blanch snow peas in boiling water for 1 minute. Remove them with a slotted spoon and transfer to a colander. Rinse under cold running water and set aside. Return the water to a boil, add pasta and cook until just tender, about 8 to 10 minutes or according to package directions. Drain and rinse with cold water; set aside.

Combine celery, bell pepper, scallions and the reserved chicken, snow peas and pasta in a large bowl. Add dressing and toss to coat. Taste and adjust seasonings with salt and pepper. Transfer to a serving platter and garnish with sesame seeds. Serve immediately.