Summer chicken salad with cucumbers, Tropea onions, and parmesan, a simple and tasty recipe, perfect for a quick lunch or to pack in your lunchbox and take to work.
The main ingredient is chicken breast, which you can cook as you prefer: grilled, pan-seared, or, as I did, in a slow cooker for tender and juicy meat. It’s also a great idea to reuse leftover chicken and turn it into something fresh and appetizing. Completing the dish are cucumbers, red Tropea onions, lettuce leaves, and Parmigiano Reggiano DOP shavings.
The extra touch? A creamy lemon dressing made with mayonnaise, mustard, anchovy paste, and lemon juice: quick to make but capable of giving the entire dish a boost. The mix of savory, fresh, and creamy is truly irresistible!
This chicken salad is perfect to prepare in advance, it keeps well in the fridge and, if served with a slice of rustic bread or some croutons, it becomes a complete and balanced dish. If you are looking for ideas for a quick and tasty summer lunch, or recipes with leftover chicken, save it right away: it will become one of your favorites!
At the end of the recipe, in the FAQ section, I answered some questions about this dish. If you have other doubts or curiosities, leave a comment or use the contact form at the end of the page.
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- Difficulty: Very Easy
- Cost: Cheap
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 4 People
- Cooking methods: Oven, Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Spring, Summer
- Energy 211.61 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 5.86 (g) of which sugars 2.16 (g)
- Proteins 31.18 (g)
- Fat 7.33 (g) of which saturated 4.24 (g)of which unsaturated 2.64 (g)
- Fibers 1.15 (g)
- Sodium 281.26 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 5 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients for Summer Chicken Salad
- 14 oz chicken breast
- 2.8 oz Parmigiano Reggiano DOP (in shavings)
- 1 Tropea red onion
- 1 cucumber
- 6 leaves lettuce (gentile)
- to taste salt
- 2 tbsps mayonnaise
- 1 tbsp mustard
- 1 tsp anchovy paste
- Half lemon (the juice)
- to taste black pepper
Tools
- Slow cooker
- Lemon squeezer
- Peeler
- Bowl
Summer Chicken Salad Recipe
Start the preparation of the summer chicken salad with the chicken.
I cooked it in a slow cooker with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil on HIGH for 4 hours, but grilling or baking it works too.
Once cooked, shred the chicken with two forks, season with salt and let it cool.
In the meantime, prepare the dressing: put mayonnaise, mustard, anchovy paste, black pepper, and the juice of half a lemon in a small bowl.
Mix well with small whisks or a spoon: you need to obtain a homogeneous and fairly fluid sauce.
Transfer the now cold chicken to a bowl.
Add the Tropea onion sliced thinly.
After washing it, peel the cucumber, remove the ends, and cut it first lengthwise and then into slices.
Put the cucumber slices in the bowl along with the rest of the ingredients.
Wash the lettuce leaves and dry them well.
Cut them into strips and put them in the bowl.
Dress the chicken salad with the lemon dressing and mix everything well.
Also add the parmesan shavings and mix again to distribute them evenly.
Bring the summer chicken salad to the table or store it in the fridge in a container with a lid until ready to serve.
Summer Chicken Salad with Cucumbers, Tropea Onions, and Parmesan
Check this section to clarify your doubts. If you don’t find the answer to your question, comment or write to me using the form below.
Also try the Shawarma Chicken in Slow Cooker.
FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)
Can I use leftover chicken for this salad?
Yes, it’s actually a great idea! If you have leftover roasted, grilled, or boiled chicken, you can use it to make this salad and reduce waste in the kitchen. Just cut it into pieces or shred it before adding it to the other ingredients.
How can I cook the chicken if I don’t have a slow cooker?
You can grill, boil, or pan-sear the chicken breast, based on your preferences. If you want it tender and juicy, I suggest cooking it over medium heat with a drizzle of oil, covering the pan with a lid.
Can I substitute the Tropea onion?
If you don’t have red Tropea onions, you can use a sweet red onion or, alternatively, white onions or fresh scallions. If you want a milder taste, you can soften it by soaking it in cold water for a few minutes.
How long does the chicken salad keep?
The chicken salad keeps in the refrigerator for about 2 days, well sealed in an airtight container. I suggest dressing it just before serving to maintain the fresh and crunchy texture of the ingredients.
For questions, curiosities, or if you want to collaborate with me, use the contact form below:
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