Sesame Chicken with Pasta Salad

[kit]

Here's a nice summery recipe that I'm sure many of you will like. It's a 'day-ahead' recipe and is fairly easy to make. It's also great as a 'different' dish to bring to a covered-dish picnic or dinner. The recipe can easily be doubled.

Sesame Chicken with Pasta Salad

1 or 2 (depends on the size) chicken fillets, boned and skinned
8 oz uncooked ditalini pasta

Sauce:
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup tahini (sesame paste)
1/2 cup chicken stock
1-1/2 tsp sugar
1-1/2 tsp dark sesame oil
1/3 cup tamari or soy sauce
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
dash Tabasco sauce (or to taste)

Wash and dry chicken fillets. Partially freeze until stiff and cut lengthwise into 1" strips. Cut each strip crosswise into thin wafers. Boil wafers about 1 minute until opaque. Rinse, drain and set aside.

Cook ditalini, rinse in cold water, drain and set aside.

Whisk sauce ingredients well and put into a bowl along with chicken and cooked pasta. Gently mix well, cover and refrigerate overnight to marinate. Next day, mix and add salt and a little more chicken stock if necessary.

Put into serving bowl. Garnish with toasted sesame seeds and the tops of sliced scallions or sliced chives. Serve cold.