Even though we’re on a health kick around here for a few weeks, I’m determined not to get bored with salads. Because when I’m bored with what I’m eating, I start frying and making pasta and cakes and such. This article in Bon Appetit (which I already blogged about when I made the steak salad with chimichurri dressing last week) came through again - I mean, grilled chicken + salad has the potential to be the most boring dish ever. And yet it wasn’t at all - salty feta, sweet apricots, tangy shallot in the dressing, crunchy almonds and plenty of heart healthy grapeseed and walnut oil kept things interesting. I clocked this at about 30 minutes (including the time I spent grilling the chicken), so it’s perfect for weeknights.
Adapted from June 2009 Bon Appetit.
Grocery list (for 2-4 salads, depending on how big your appetite is): 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar, 1 shallot, 2 tablespoons walnut oil, 3 tablespoons grapeseed oil, 2-3 apricots, 1/2 cup feta cheese, 1/4 cup sliced almonds, 1 large bunch watercress, 2-3 chicken breasts, 1 avocado.
You can use a rotisserie chicken to save even more time - just pull the meat off the bone and cut up into bite-sized pieces. If you’re cooking it, season with salt and pepper and throw them on the grill while you prep the rest of the salad. I always brush a little olive oil on chicken breasts before grilling them so they won’t dry out as much.
Slice the shallot first. Then pit the apricots and slice each into wedges. Pit and slice the avocado.
I used my small food processor (the stick blender with the bowl attachment - perfect for making dressings) - if you don’t have one, just mince the shallot and use a whisk. If you have a small food processor, throw in the shallot and pulse for a few seconds, then pour in the oils. Season with salt and pepper.
In a large bowl, combine the watercress with the apricots and feta. Pour the dressing over the top and mix so it’s evenly distributed.
When the chicken is done, allow it to rest on a plate for 5 minutes before cutting. Slice into bite-sized pieces.
Divide the salad between bowls or plates. Top each with a few slices of avocado, pieces of chicken, and a sprinkle of almonds.
November 18th, 2009 at 4:37 pm
We made this a few days ago and it was delicious! Well we had to make some modifications to suit what we could find at the supermarket, but the combination of the feta and shallot dressing is great! The dressing is now our go-to dressing for our side salads. Toss the ingredients in a small mason jar, shakie shakie, and you have awesome dressing!
December 2nd, 2009 at 1:30 pm
Hi Matt - that’s a great idea about the mason jar, I had never thought of that! I’ll have to reuse one of my grandma’s jelly jars for that next time I make dressing. It is pretty amazing isn’t it, the difference between fresh homemade dressing and store-bought. I don’t think it takes too much more time, but it really tastes amazing (and you feel like you’ve done something special for dinner). Glad you like the recipe