Recipe Sharing: Asian Chicken and Orzo Salad

I made this Paula Deen recipe today for a picnic, and it was a hit. My dish was empty at the end of the meal -- and there was a good amount of food there to choose from -- so I'd classify this one as a success and definitely make it again. The only difference I did from the recipe was leaving out the water chestnuts (not a fan). Enjoy!

Asian Chicken and Orzo Salad
Yield: 12 servings

Ingredients

• 1 (9-ounce) package frozen sugar snap peas
• 1 (16-ounce) package orzo, cooked and drained
• 1 cup water chestnuts, drained and chopped
• 3 cups diced cooked chicken
• 3 green onions, chopped
• 1 medium red bell pepper, diced
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons hoisin sauce
• 1 (2-ounce) package slivered almonds, toasted (1/2 cup)

Directions
Cook sugar snap peas according to package directions; drain well.

In a large bowl, combine sugar snap peas, orzo, water chestnuts, chicken, green onion, and red bell pepper. In a small bowl, whisk together oil, vinegar, soy sauce, and hoisin sauce. Pour over orzo mixture, tossing gently to coat. Stir in toasted almonds. Cover and chill until ready to serve.