Chicken salad

Chicken salad is one of those easy recipes to make on a hot summer afternoon. It is considered a light lunch; however, it can also be enjoyed as an evening meal. Chicken salad is a prime example of a dish that truly embodies adaptability. The base ingredients can be modified to suit different occasions.

The grilled chicken coated with the Honey & Soy sauce glaze paired with the Italian salad dressing creates an unusual medley of flavours.

Ingredients

Chicken breast, Honey & Soy hot sauce, Italian salad dressing, Cucumber, Red Bell Pepper, Rocket, Red onion. Optional: Flour, Garlic powder, Paprika, Salt.

The flour, garlic powder, paprika powder, and salt will season the outside surface of the chicken. This extra step is optional; it gives the chicken a lot more flavour. You can also grill the chicken breast with cooking oil, seasoning it with the spices, and omitting the flour part. Use store-bought Italian salad dressing or make it fresh at home. It is also possible to swap out the Italian salad dressing for another salad dressing. The combination of the Honey & Soy sauce glaze for the chicken pairs well with the Italian salad dressing, which has a tangy flavour.

For this recipe, we’ve used a Honey & Soy hot sauce; you can use barbecue sauce or whatever hot sauce you have on hand to coat the outside of the grilled chicken. You can make Honey & Soy sauce hot sauce at home or you can purchase a version of it online.

When it comes to the add-ins, the possibilities are unlimited. You can use your favourite vegetables or fruits such as bell peppers, carrots, or even William pears. A few fancy enhancements include dried figs, feta cheese, goat cheese, and sun-dried tomatoes. You can grill up chicken breasts for this recipe, or you can use leftover roast chicken.

Instructions

Thoroughly wash the chicken breast, pat the chicken dry with a kitchen towel. It is essential to remove the liquid from the chicken to ensure that the flour adheres to the surface of the chicken, skipping this step will result in a clumpy texture. Add flour to a plate, add paprika powder, garlic powder and salt. Mix the spices into the flour.

Coat the surface of the chicken with the seasoned flour. Add cooking oil to a grill pan and set the temperature of the stove to medium-low. Grill the chicken breast for eight minutes on each side. Set the timer and occasionally press the chicken down with a spatula.

While the chicken breasts are cooking, wash all the vegetables and rocket leaves. Then, chop up the cucumber and red bell pepper, and finely dice the red onion. To make the Honey & Soy hot sauce, combine honey, soy sauce, and your favourite hot sauce in a bowl and mix well. Add the vegetables to a plate. Coat the chicken with the sauce and add it to the top of the salad. Drizzle with Italian salad dressing and serve.

What can you serve with Chicken salad?

There are many side dishes that you can pair with Chicken salad, consider freshly baked dinner rolls that are soft and chewy. You can also create your own garlic bread at home with a baguette. Pasta is another fantastic option, consider Rose pasta for its creamy, tomatoey flavour. Sage pasta has a rich flavour with subtle hints of sage cooked in brown butter.

How to store Chicken salad?

If you’re making a large amount of chicken salad to last throughout the week, make sure to keep the grilled chicken separate from the washed and dried vegetables. Only add the Italian salad dressing to the salad when you are ready to eat the chicken salad. You can coat the chicken with the Honey & Soy hot sauce before storing it in the fridge, and the flavours will meld into the chicken. Using this method, the chicken salad should last for four to five days in the refrigerator. If you were to mix it all up and store it in the fridge, the salad will last for two days.