Penne Pasta w/Chicken in a Citrus Vinaigrette

This is a light, refreshing salad. I love the citrus in the dressing along with the subtle Asian flavors. I brought it to a bbq this summer and have some friends requesting the recipe. I know it's the middle of winter, but sometimes we just need a break from all the heavy dishes. This salad is great anytime, as a light meal or as a side. It looks like a lot of ingredients, but it's really easy.

A perfect make ahead dish...it's better when it has some time to rest. I would make it in the afternoon before I took the kids to the pool and we'd have something to eat when we were done. Perfect!

This recipe was adapted from a Sweet Tomatoes recipe.

For the chicken
3 or 4 chicken breasts, boneless and skinless
1 tablespoon orange zest, plus 1 tablespoon zest for the vinaigrette
juice of 1 orange
1 clove minced garlic
2 tablespoons oil

For the vinaigrette
6 tablespoons soy sauce
6 tablespoons red wine vinegar
4 tablespoons water
3 tablespoons light olive oil (extra virgin would be too heavy, canola oil would be a better substitution)
3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons Korean teriyaki sauce
2 tablespoons white sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons orange juice concentrate
1 1/2 tablespoons chili garlic sauce
1 tablespoon finely minced ginger
1 tablespoon reserved orange zest

For the salad
1 pound penne pasta, cooked
2 cups carrots, shredded
1 cup cucumbers, quartered and diced
1 cup celery, diced
1/2 cup coarsely chopped cilantro
sesame seeds for garnish

Combine 1 tablespoon of the orange zest, orange juice (not the concentrate), garlic, and oil in a bowl or bag to marinate the chicken in. Add the chicken, and let marinate for 30 minutes. Grill the chicken and set aside.

Combine all the ingredients for the vinaigrette in a large bowl and whisk to thoroughly combine.

Assemble the salad. Cut the chicken at an angle in 1/4 inch slices and cube. Add to the vinaigrette. Add cooked pasta, carrots, cucumbers, celery, and cilantro to the bowl. Mix to evenly coat with dressing. Allow to marinate for 2 hours. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Garnish with sesame seeds.