Hello! Today, I'm here with a recipe for a crispy chicken salad which is very simple and super delicious!
This chicken salad is perfect for lunch or light dinner.
Whilst you'll totally appreciate it on hot days, it can also be served as a reminder of summer later in the year.
The recipe is inspired by Caesar salad, but I've swapped some ingredients according to what I had in the fridge.
So in fact, it's very versatile - feel free to be flexible with the ingredients too!
I'm using chicken breast fillet, but chicken thighs will work here as well.
Lastly, don't be afraid of the dressing! It's really easy to make and made of usual ingredients from the store cupboard (pantry) and the fridge.
This salad will keep fresh in the fridge for up to 24hrs. Store the vegetables, meat and dressing in three separate food containers.
The chicken (cooked) can be frozen. Leave to cool down completely, place in an airtight container and keep in the freezer for up to two months. Defrost fully before consuming. Reheat in a hot pan with a drizzle of sunflower or vegetable oil (3-5 minutes), and serve immediately.
Simple crispy chicken salad
Ingredients
- 1 iceberg lettuce or Romano lettuce or baby lettuce
- 2 carrots
- ½ large cucumber
- 250 g cherry tomatoes or 6 salad tomatoes
- 2 chicken breast fillets chilled
- ½ cup plain flour
- 5 tablespoon sunflower or vegetable oil
- salt and black pepper to taste
- 80 g Grana Padano or Parmesan cheese for serving
- toasted baguette or bread for serving (optional)
For the dressing
- 1 clove garlic
- 3 tablespoon light mayonnaise
- 1 ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon cold water
- pinch black pepper
Instructions
- Prepare the salad: Wash the lettuce, cucumber, tomatoes, peel the carrots if needed. Cut everything into regular bite-sized chunks. The carrot can be sliced or cut thinly. Add all veggies into a large mixing bowl. Set aside.
- Prepare the chicken: Cut the breast fillet into 1 cm slices (if using thighs, no need to cut anything at this point). Wash your hands. Season with salt and pepper from both sides. Wash your hands again.
- Add the plain flour into a deep bowl. Dip the chicken fillets into the flour from all sides, so they're fully covered in the flour. This will help to keep the juices of the meat inside, while crispy on the outside.
- Add oil to a large frying pan, turn on medium-high heat. When hot, add the chicken fillets and fry for at least 10-14 mins depending on how thick they are, or until golden on top. Turn halfway through. Wash your hands again after handling raw chicken.
- In the meantime, make the dressing: mix all ingredients together in a small mixing bowl, using a whisk. Keep whisking until you get a smooth and nice texture.
- When the chicken is about to be ready, divide the salad (vegetables) onto 4 different plates.
- Cut the chicken into strips, add to the salad, grate over some Grana Padano cheese, and add the dressing.
- Enjoy as it is or with a slice of toasted baguette or bread!
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