Sesame Chicken Pasta Salad

I love summer salads. This one is a keeper. {and there's leftovers for tomorrow's lunch. my lunch. booyah.}

I used whole wheat pasta which I'm not really a fan of, but it was the only kind of bow tie pasta the store had. But it was actually

pretty good and added a bit of a nutty taste.

This is my new summer salad and now I know what I'll be bringing to any picnic or summer get together! (And so do you!)

1/4 cup sesame seeds

1 (16 ounce) package bow tie pasta

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1/3 cup light soy sauce

1/3 cup rice vinegar

1 teaspoon sesame oil

3 tablespoons white sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

3 cups shredded, cooked chicken breast meat

1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1/3 cup chopped green onion

any veggies you want to throw in (I threw in julienned carrots, frozen corn, diced red peppers)

Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add sesame seeds, and cook stirring frequently until lightly toasted. Remove from heat, and set aside.

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta, and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, or until al dente. Drain pasta, and rinse under cold water until cool. Transfer to a large bowl.

In a jar with a tight-fitting lid, combine vegetable oil, soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil, sugar, sesame seeds, ginger, and pepper. Shake well.

Pour sesame dressing over pasta, and toss to coat evenly. Gently mix in chicken, cilantro, and green onions.