Sesame Chicken and Asparagus Pasta

another post, you say? i know, that means i've cooked more than once in the last week AND it's turned out well. it's for sure worth documenting. and the best part? you can leave the chicken out (that's actually how we prefer it) and it's a great veggie dish.

sauce:

• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 T. red wine vinegar
• 1 T. brown sugar
• 6 T. chunky peanut butter
• 1/4 c. soy sauce
• 1/4 c. sesame oil
• 1/2-1 T. hot chili sauce (i leave this out because i never have it)

peanut sauce:

• 2 large chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
• 5 T. sesame seeds, toasted
• 1 lb. asparagus, trimmed and blanched
• 3 scallions, white and green parts
• 1 small cucumber

8 oz. linguine noodles

directions:

Cook and shred chicken (boiling works). Mix 1st 6 sauce ingredients and blend (or magic bullet) for 1 minute. Add hot chili sauce and continue blending. Set aside.

Cook 8 oz. linguine noodles according to package directions. Rinse under cold water and drain.

Slice asparagus in 1/2" pieces and blanch in boiling water. Drain and add to noodles.

Cut cucumber into small chunks and dice scallions. Add chicken and sesame seeds to noodles. Toss, add in peanut butter sauce, and toss again. Top with cucumber and scallions.