Oriental Chicken Salad

This is my kind of pasta salad! I like the noodles and the chicken with the light sesame dressing. It's perfect for me to make ahead and have ready to eat for lunch.

• Ready In: 13 hrs 25 mins
• Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

• For the Dressing

• 1⁄4 cup rice vinegar
• 2  tablespoons sugar
• 1  teaspoon salt
• 3  tablespoons  sesame oil
• 1  tablespoon  vegetable oil
• 1⁄2 teaspoon black pepper

• For the Salad

• 1  lb boneless skinless chicken breast
• 3  scallions, chopped into 1 inch pieces
• 1  slice fresh ginger (1/4-inch thick)
• 5  ounces  Chinese wheat noodles, cooked and drained
• 1  cup snow peas, trimmed and chopped
• 1 (8 ounce) can water chestnuts, rinsed,drained and sliced
• 1⁄2 cup  sliced red bell pepper
• 1⁄4 cup  toasted sliced almonds
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds

Directions

1. Whisk together ingredients for dressing and set aside.
2. If almonds and sesame seeds aren't toasted, toast them separately (2 different times) in a small dry skillet, just till they start to turn golden, but do not burn; set aside and allow to cool.
3. Simmer chicken breasts with ginger and 2/3 of the scallions in a stockpot, covered with water until thoroughly cooked, 25-30 minutes.
4. Drain chicken and cool; cut into chunks.
5. In a large salad bowl, toss together the noodles, chicken, snow peas, water chestnuts, last scallion, and the red bell pepper.
6. Mix with the dressing, and chill, refrigerated, for 12 hours or overnight.
7. Sprinkle with almonds and sesame seeds before serving.