Ingredients:

Salad

• 1 pound penne
• ½ cup oil
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 whole skinned boned chicken breast
• ½ cup chicken broth
• ½ cup Hoisin Mixture
• 2 celery stalks
• 2 medium green onions
• 1 small seedless cuke
• ½ red pepper, cored
• Salt and pepper
• 2 teaspoons sesame seeds, toasted
• Cashews as garnish

Hoisin Mixture (Makes 1 ¼ cups and keeps indefinitely in fridge)

• 1 cup bottled hoisin sauce
• 1 ½ tablespoon sugar
• 2 tablespoons dry Sherry
• 2 tablespoons sesame oil
• 1 ½ teaspoons rice vinegar

Instructions:

1. Cook pasta until just tender.  Drain and return pasta to the pot with 3 tablespoons oil and toss.  Set aside in large serving bowl.
2. Place remaining oil in large skillet with minced garlic and toss over medium heat until fragrant.  Sauté chicken breasts until just cooked through, about 3 to 4 minutes per side and set aside to cool.
3. Add chicken broth to hot pan, deglaze and simmer until liquid measures 1/3 cup.  Transfer contents of skillet to a small bowl and stir in Hoisin Mixture, then add mixture to pasta and toss well.
4. Trim all veggies and slice thinly.  Add veggies to pasta and toss.  Cut chicken into ½ inch cubes and add to the bowl.
5. Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Sprinkle salad with sesame seeds and cashews.

Comments: This version of the salad is rather mild but it could be spiced up by the judicious addition of red hot oil to the hoisin sauce mixture.