Trader Tuesday: Teriyaki Chicken Salad

This is a great meal if you're cooking for that special someone for the first time. It came to me via my friend, S. The recipe is easy, uncomplicated, and totally impressive. Serves 4 as side salads or 2 as full meal.

Pre-heat oven to 350F.

Chicken:
¼ c. Soy sauce
1 tsp. Sugar
½ tsp. Prepared mustard
¼ tsp. Ginger
1/8 tsp. Garlic powder
2 boneless Chicken breasts

1)Stir first 5 ingredients into a bowl.
2)Add chicken, turning to coat. Marinate for 20 minutes.
3)Remove chicken and lay on foil-lined baking tray.
4)Bake uncovered @ 350F for ~ 30 minutes.
5)Brush with marinade every 10 minutes, turning once
6)Cool, cut into bite-sized pieces.

Note: I've used this Chicken recipe for other things as well, like stirfry. It makes really nice, moist, teriyaki chicken.

Pasta:
8 oz. (250g) Rotini
Water
1 tbsp. Cooking oil
Salt

1)Bring salted water to a boil.
2)Cook pasta until tender, but firm. (10-12 minutes)
3)Drain and rinse with cold water.

Dressing:
2 tbsp. Vinegar
¼ c. Cooking oil
3 tbsp. Sugar
¼ tsp. Garlic powder
1/8 tsp. Pepper

1)Combine ingredients in a small container (use one with a lid so you can shake to dissolve sugar). Stir well.
2)Pour over pasta to coat.

Final Touches:
½ c. crumbled Feta
1/3 c. sliced pitted Black Olives

2-4 tbsp. chopped Pimiento

Divide pasta among your plates, place chicken on top, and sprinkle with olives, feta and pimiento.

*Note: Pimientos can be purchased by jar at any grocery store. I didn’t know that the first time I made this recipe, and spent about 45 minutes pulling pimientos one at a time out of a jar of green olives.