Zucchini and celery give this chicken-and-bean salad a nice crunch. We like serving it over a bed of slightly bitter escarole and radicchio, but any type of salad greens will work.
4 servings, about 2 cups each
Active Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Ingredients
Vinaigrette
- 1 medium clove garlic
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 6 tablespoons fresh orange juice, plus more to taste
- 1/4 cup white-wine vinegar or red-wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
Salad
- 1 15-ounce can cannellini or other white beans, rinsed and drained
- 2 1/2 cups diced cooked chicken breast (see Tip)
- 2 cups diced zucchini and/or summer squash (about 2 small)
- 1 1/2 cups diced celery
- 1/4 cup finely diced ricotta salata, halloumi (see Shopping Tip, above) or feta cheese
- 1/3 cup chopped, well-drained, oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes (optional)
- 1 cup coarsely chopped fresh basil, plus whole basil leaves for garnish
- Salt & freshly ground pepper to taste (optional)
- 2 cups torn escarole or romaine lettuce
- 2 cups torn radicchio leaves
Preparation
- To prepare vinaigrette: Peel the garlic and smash with the side of a chef’s knife. Using a fork, mash the garlic with 1/4 teaspoon salt in a small bowl to form a coarse paste. Whisk in 5 tablespoons oil. Add 6 tablespoons orange juice, vinegar and mustard; whisk until well blended. Taste and whisk in up to 4 tablespoons more juice to mellow the flavor; season with more salt, if desired. Set aside at room temperature.
- To prepare salad: Combine beans, chicken, zucchini (and/or summer squash), celery, cheese and sun-dried tomatoes (if using) 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.
- Toss the remaining vinaigrette with escarole (or romaine) and radicchio in a medium bowl. Serve the salad on the greens, garnished with fresh basil leaves.
Nutrition
Per serving : 428 Calories; 23 g Fat; 5 g Sat; 15 g Mono; 79 mg Cholesterol; 24 g Carbohydrates; 34 g Protein; 8 g Fiber; 667 mg Sodium; 648 mg Potassium
1 Carbohydrate Serving
Exchanges: 1 starch, 2 vegetable, 4 lean meat, 3 fat
Tips & Notes
- Make Ahead Tip: Prepare through Step 2 (omitting basil), cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days. Stir in chopped basil just before serving.
- Tip: To poach chicken breasts, place about 1 pound 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.
- Ricotta salata and halloumi are both firm, salted cheeses that can be found at large supermarkets and cheese shops.
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