Chicken salad, the perfect meal saver, is a dish that combines fresh flavors and contrasting textures that make it appetizing and in high demand.
It’s a perfect choice for those looking for a fresh yet nutritious, delicious, and satisfying dish.
The fresh ingredients make this salad a light option, perfect for those who want to eat healthily without sacrificing taste. The crunchiness of the vegetables combines with the juiciness of the chicken, offering a sensation of freshness with every bite.
This salad offers an ideal balance between proteins, vitamins, and fibers. The chicken provides a lean source of protein, essential for maintaining muscle mass and promoting satiety, while vegetables like tomatoes, carrots, zucchini, and mushrooms offer a rich variety of vitamins and antioxidants.
Olives and mayonnaise add a savory and creamy touch, enhancing the delicacy of the vegetables and chicken. This salad can be enjoyed as a main dish or as a hearty side, adapting to various needs and preferences.
Perfect for a light lunch during a workday, an outdoor picnic, or a summer dinner. Its lightness makes it suitable for a quick but complete meal after a workout or a healthy and nutritious lunch break.
It is ideal to take to the office, to a park for a picnic, or to prepare for a dinner with friends on the terrace. Its freshness makes it perfect for outdoor consumption, but it is equally enjoyable to savor at home, perhaps accompanied by a glass of cold white wine or a refreshing drink.
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- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Preparation time: 20 Minutes
- Portions: 4
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Spring, Summer, and Fall
Ingredients for Preparing the Chicken Salad
- 1.76 lbs chicken breast
- 1 zucchini
- 2 carrot
- 3/4 cup cherry tomatoes
- 3/4 cup mushrooms in oil
- 5 tbsp mayonnaise
- to taste olives
- to taste extra virgin olive oil
- to taste fine salt
- 2 lemons
- 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 sprig rosemary
Tools
- 1 Mandoline
- 1 Griddle
- 1 Bowl
- 1 Salad Bowl
- 1 Knife
- 1 Meat Tenderizer
Steps for Marinating the Chicken Salad
Slice the chicken breast with a knife into slices of the same thickness, not very thick. You can lightly flatten them with a meat tenderizer
Marinade: In a bowl, mix the tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, rosemary, and, if desired, minced garlic. Add salt. Immerse the chicken breasts in the marinade, ensuring they are well coated. Let marinate in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes, although ideally for 1-2 hours for a more intense flavor.
After the marinating time, pat the chicken slices with paper towels.
Heat a griddle(or a non-stick pan) over medium-high heat. Once hot, place the chicken breasts and cook for about 5-7 minutes per side, or until they are golden brown and cooked through
After cooking, let them cool.
Then shred them into strips with your hands or slice them with a knife.
Wash the cherry tomatoes, remove the seeds, and slice them thinly. Peel the carrots and julienne them with a mandoline. Wash the zucchini and slice it thinly with a knife
Slice the mushrooms in oil and combine the ingredients in a salad bowl along with the olives and mayonnaise. I used the delicious vegan mayonnaise, light, creamy, and healthy.
Season with salt and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, mix well to combine everything, and the chicken salad is ready to be served and…
Enjoy from Barbara!
To weigh the food, I used the Iridea Kitchen Scale by Tognana with LCD display and touch screen buttons, apple red
Storing Chicken Salad
Choose an Airtight Container: Transfer the chicken salad to an airtight container to maintain moisture and prevent contamination. A snap-lock container or a glass container with a lid are excellent options.
It can be stored in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. This is the optimal period to ensure freshness and food safety. Always check the salad before eating.
Do Not Freeze: Generally, it is not advisable to freeze ready-made chicken salad, especially if it contains mayonnaise. The mayonnaise can separate and become lumpy after freezing and thawing
If you wish to freeze the ingredients to prepare the salad in the future, you can freeze cooked chicken and vegetables separately. Make sure to package these ingredients in freezer-safe containers or bags and label them with the date.
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