GRILLED CHICKEN AND ZITI SALAD

Grilled Chicken and Ziti Salad image

Yield Serves 8 to 10

Number Of Ingredients 12

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2 whole skinless boneless chicken breasts, halved (about 1 1/2 pounds)
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 pound ziti or other tubular pasta
2 large red bell peppers, cut into 1/2-inch dice
2 1/2 cups thinly sliced celery
1 red onion, chopped (about 1 1/4 cups)
1 1/4 cups Kalamata or other brine-cured black olives, pitted and sliced thin
1/4 cup minced fresh dill
3 tablespoons white-wine vinegar
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 tablespoons Dijon-style mustard
2/3 cup olive oil

Steps:

In an oiled ridged grill pan heated over moderately high heat or on a rack set 4 to 6 inches over glowing coals grill the chicken breasts for 8 to 10 minutes on each side, or until they are springy to the touch, and transfer them to a dish. Sprinkle the chicken with the lemon juice and let it cool. In a kettle of boiling salted water boil the ziti until it is tender. In a colander refresh the ziti under cold water and drain it well.
In a large bowl toss together the ziti, the bell peppers, the celery, the onion, the olives, and the dill. Remove the chicken from the dish, reserving the juices, slice it thin, and add it to the ziti salad. To the juices in the dish add the vinegar, the mayonnaise, the mustard, and salt and black pepper to taste, whisk the mixture well, and add the oil in a stream, whisking until the dressing is emulsified. Add the dressing to the salad, toss the salad well, and season it with salt and black pepper.