Chili Chicken & White Beans Salad
articol scris de Nico blog chocolateoblivion.blogspot.com
This lovely salad, easy to make, low in calories and high in fibers it's a very nice option for summer. If you don't like spices, you can leave the chili out. Zucchini and celery give this chicken-and-bean salad a nice crunch. We like serving it with lucerne salad on top or over a bed of any type of green salad. This recipe is for 4 servings, about 500 gr each.
Ingredients:
Orange Dressing
1 medium clove garlic
1/4 teaspoon salt
50 ml extra-virgin olive oil
200 ml fresh orange juice, plus more to taste
50 ml white-wine vinegar or red-wine vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard,
1 teaspoon honey
Salad
2/400 gr can cannellini or other white beans, rinsed and drained
400 gr slice cooked chicken breast
2 diced red bird eye chili
200 gr diced zucchini
200 gr diced celery
200 gr diced feta cheese
200 gr chopped halved tomatoes
½ pots chopped fresh basil, plus whole basil leaves for garnish
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
50 gr pack lucerne sprouts (alfalfa)
To prepare vinaigrette: With a hand blender puree the garlic with olive oil and salt in a small bowl to form a paste. Whisk in ½ orange juice, vinegar, honey and mustard; whisk until well blended. Taste and whisk in more juice to mellow the flavor; season with more salt, if desired. Set aside at room temperature.
To prepare salad: Combine beans, chicken, zucchini, celery, chili, cheese and tomatoes in a large bowl until well blended. Add chopped basil and 3/4 cup vinaigrette; toss until combined. Taste and season with salt and/or pepper, if desired.
Serve the salad with the lucerne sprouts on top and garnished with fresh basil leaves.
Tip: To poach chicken breasts, place about 1/2 kg boneless, skinless chicken breasts in a medium skillet or saucepan. Add lightly salted water to cover and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer gently until chicken is cooked through and no longer pink in the middle, 10 to 15 minutes.
