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Italian Chicken Salad (photo by Lori Florio)
A few years ago, on her Food Network show “Everyday Italian”, Giada De Laurentiis introduced us to a chicken salad that, like Mary Poppins, is “practically perfect in every way”.
For starters, no cooking is involved; the main ingredient of the recipe is a shredded store-bought rotisserie chicken. The salad dressing is oil-based and therefore great for picnics – no refrigeration is required and it tastes superb warm or at room temperature.
Best of all, this is a forgiving dish. You can swap out different ingredients and you’ll still end up with a winner each and every time you make it. For instance, eliminate the almonds, use shallots or scallions in place of the red onion, and replace – or add to – the parsley with basil if you have it on hand. I’ve also added leftover fresh tomato sauce on occasion, and it’s sensational.
If you can shred a cooked chicken, chop veggies, and whisk dressing, this salad is for you. Serve it alone, over assorted lettuces or pasta, and you won’t be disappointed. Thank you, Giada!
Italian Chicken Salad (adapted from Giada De Laurentiis’ original recipe)
1 large rotisserie chicken, skinned and shredded
2 cups roasted bell peppers, drained, patted dry, and chopped
1 large shallot, thinly sliced (or 3 large scallions, white and green parts, finely chopped)
½ cup chopped fresh parsley
½ cup drained capers, whole or chopped
Salt and pepper
Red Wine Vinaigrette, recipe follows
Toss the chicken with the peppers, shallot, parsley, and capers in a large bowl. Moisten with vinaigrette, adding the liquid slowly and tossing well until all the chicken is coated. Season the salad with salt and pepper, to taste.
Red Wine Vinaigrette
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
Juice of one lemon
1 teaspoon honey
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
½ cup olive oil
Whisk the first five ingredients together in a small bowl. Slowly whisk in the oil until the mixture has emulsified.
Serves 4
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