Chicken salad: a whole meal in one recipe
Chicken salad: a whole meal in one recipe
Ingredients
Ingredienti
- 60 gr sliced chicken breast
- 50 gr gherkin pickles
- 150 gr white celery
- 30 gr pitted green olives
- 200 gr red peppers
- 150 gr carrots
- 100 gr extra virgin olive oil
- 15 gr mild mustard
- 20 gr vinegar
- 120 gr mayonnaise
- qb salt
- qb pepper
Instructions
- Place the chicken slices between twosheets of baking paper on a cutting board.
- Lightly tap the slices with a meatmallet.
- Heat a nonstick griddle or skilletover medium-high heat until hot.
- Arrange the chicken slices on thegriddle so they do not overlap.
- Cook until white. This process shouldtake about 3-4 minutes, depending on the thickness of the slices.
- Add a pinch of salt.
- Turn the chicken slices over and cookthe other side for the same amount of time, until lightly browned.
- Now remove the chicken slices fromthe griddle or pan and transfer them to a plate.
- Meanwhile, prepare the vegetables:wash and clean the bell pepper, remove the seeds and cut it into thin strips.
- Peel and julienne the carrots, then slicethe celery and pickles and stone the olives.
- Cut the chicken slices into thinstrips or cubes when cool.
- In a large bowl mix mayonnaise,mustard, vinegar, salt, pepper and olive oil until smooth.
- Pour the sauce over the vegetablesand chicken strips, stirring gently with a wooden spoon or spatula.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or alid and place it in the refrigerator for at least an hour to allow the flavorsto meld and the vegetables and chicken to absorb the dressing.
- Before serving, gently toss thechicken with a wooden spoon or spatula, so as to spread the dressing evenlyover all the ingredients.
- Serve the chicken salad as a sidedish or main course, garnishing with fresh parsley leaves or grated lemon peel.
Chicken salad is a versatile dish. It provides a meal that is light and nutritious, yet full of flavor. It is an ideal solution for summer lunches and outdoor picnics, and a healthy option for lunch at the office.
Tips for making your own chicken salad
This recipe is pretty quick and easy, but a few small tips may help to make it tastier:
- Marinate the chicken for at least one hour before cooking. A simple marinade of extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper and mixed spices will enhance its flavor.
- Grill the chicken on a hot griddle or skillet. A tasty crust will form on the surface of the meat and will seal its juices.
- Let the chicken cool after cooking and before cutting it into pieces.
- Choose a variety of fresh vegetables of your liking and add to the chicken: crisp lettuce, sweet tomatoes, fresh cucumbers, julienne carrots and bell peppers will add color and flavor to your chicken salad.
- For the dressing, mix EVO oil, vinegar (classic or balsamic), fresh spices and lemon. The addition of mustard and/or mayonnaise will make it even yummier.
Chicken salad: the importance of good extra virgin olive oil
It is essential to use extra virgin olive oil in the preparation of chicken salad, and not only because it adds an extra touch of flavor and freshness:
- EVO oil is rich in healthy monounsaturated fats, which are known to help reduce bad cholesterol (LDL) and to improve heart health.
- The antioxidants it contains help keep your chicken salad fresh for longer.
- Extra virgin olive oil is known for its beneficial properties on digestion. Adding a moderate amount of olive oil to chicken salad can aid digestion and contribute to gastrointestinal well-being.
- EVO oil helps balance the taste of the chicken salad and helps to blend the flavors of the various ingredients.
For our chicken salad, we selected Farchioni Fruttato Intenso, which is perfect for giving character to the salad, but does not hide the flavor of the other ingredients.
Now that you know it all you can get to work!
