365 More Ways to Cook Chicken (365 ways) (14 page)

1.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Spread nuts in a small baking dish and toast in oven, stirring once or twice, until nuts are fragrant and lightly browned, 5 to 8 minutes.

2. In a large bowl, combine chicken, diced apples, celery, toasted walnuts, and currants. Toss to mix.

3.
In a small bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, orange juice, lemon juice, and orange zest. Season dressing with salt and pepper to taste. Add dressing to chicken salad and toss to coat evenly.

Prep: 20 minutes Cook: 8 to 10 minutes Serves: 6

Orzo, a rice-shaped pasta, makes a great salad. Other small pasta, such as tiny shells or even elbows, can be substituted.

• ½ cup olive oil, preferably extra-virgin
  

• ¼ cup chicken broth
  

• 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
  

• 1 large garlic clove, minced
  

• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint or 1½ teaspoons dried
  

• ¾ teaspoon salt
  

• ½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
  

• 1 cup orzo
  

• 3 cups diced cooked chicken
  

• 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
  

• 1 small yellow bell pepper, diced
  

• 1 small zucchini, thinly sliced
  

• ⅓ cup sliced black olives
  

• 1 small head of romaine lettuce
  

• 1 tomato, cut into 6 wedges
  

• 6 small fresh mint sprigs, for garnish
  

1.
In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, broth, vinegar, garlic, mint, salt, and pepper. Set dressing aside.

2.
In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook orzo until just tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain and transfer to a large mixing bowl. Add chicken, red onion, bell pepper, zucchini, and olives to orzo. Add dressing and toss to coat well. Let salad stand at least 15 minutes before serving.

3.
On a large platter or 6 individual plates, make a bed of romaine leaves. Spoon salad onto lettuce. Garnish with tomato wedges and mint sprigs.

Prep: 15 minutes Cook: none Serves: 4

This salad re-creates the sunny flavors of a memorable lunch I enjoyed on that lovely California beach. Use any combination of mixed greens that is appealing and fresh. Smoked chicken is available in many delis, but any cooked chicken will work as well.

• 8 cups torn mixed salad greens
  

• ½ pound thinly sliced smoked chicken or cooked chicken breast
  

• 4 fresh or canned apricots, quartered
  

• 1 ripe avocado, thinly sliced
  

• ¼ cup coarsely chopped macadamia nuts
  

• 7 tablespoons olive oil, preferably extra-virgin
  

• 3 tablespoons lime juice
  

• 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
  

• 1 tablespoon honey
  

• 1 teaspoon grated lime zest
  

• 1 garlic clove, minced
  

• ½ teaspoon salt
  

• ½ teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
  

1.
On a large platter or 4 plates, make a bed of salad greens. Arrange chicken, apricots, and avocado slices decoratively on greens. Sprinkle nuts on top.

2.
In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, lime juice, vinegar, honey, lime zest, garlic, salt, and pepper. Drizzle about half of dressing over salads. Pass remainder separately.

Prep: 20 minutes Cook: none Serves: 6

If you don’t want to spoon the chicken into the avocado halves, simply slice the avocado and use it to garnish the salad on the bed of watercress.

• ⅓ cup mayonnaise
  

• ¼ cup bottled chili sauce
  

• 1 tablespoon dry white wine
  

• 2 teaspoons prepared white horseradish
  

• ¼ cup finely chopped green pepper
  

• ¼ cup finely chopped celery
  

• ¼ cup finely chopped onion
  

• Salt and freshly ground pepper
  

• 3 cups diced cooked chicken (about ¾ pound)
  

• 1 seedless orange, peeled and diced
  

• 2 large ripe avocados
  

• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  

• 1 bunch of watercress, tough stems removed
  

1.
In a large bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, chili sauce, wine, and horseradish. Stir in green pepper, celery, onion, and salt and pepper to taste. Add chicken and diced orange and stir to coat completely.

2. Peel avocados, cut in half, and rub with lemon juice. Spoon chicken salad into hollows of avocado halves. Arrange watercress on 6 plates, scoop portions of salad onto watercress, and serve.

Prep: 30 minutes Chill: 1 hour Cook: 9 to 10 minutes Serves: 6 to 8

One of my favorite Chinese restaurant dishes is also easy to make at home.

• ⅔ cup chunky peanut butter
  

• ⅔ cup soy sauce
  

• 3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
  

• 3 tablespoons Asian sesame oil
  

• 1 tablespoon dry sherry
  

• 1 tablespoon honey
  

• 4 garlic cloves, minced
  

• ¾ teaspoon crushed hot red pepper
  

• cups diced cooked chicken (about ¾ pound)
  

• 12 ounces vermicelli or thin spaghetti
  

• 1 bunch of broccoli, cut into florets
  

• 1 cup chopped scallions
  

1.
In a food processor, combine peanut butter, soy sauce, vinegar, oil, sherry, honey, garlic, hot pepper, and ½ cup hot water. Process until dressing is well blended. Place chicken in a large mixing bowl and pour on dressing. Toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour.

2.
In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook vermicelli 6 minutes. Add broccoli and cook until it is crisp-tender and pasta is cooked, 3 to 4 minutes longer. Drain and rinse under cold running water; drain well.

3.
Add vermicelli and broccoli to chicken. Add half of scallions and toss to mix. Serve at room temperature, with remaining scallions sprinkled on top.

Prep: 10 minutes Cook: 2 minutes Serves: 4

Many markets now sell mixed tender salad greens called
mesclun,
either in sealed packages or loose in bulk. If you can’t find the packages, use a mix of torn spinach and leaf lettuce.

• 10 ounces mesclun or other mixed tender greens (about 12 cups)
  

• ½ cup thinly sliced red onion
  

• 7 tablespoons olive oil, preferably extra-virgin
  

• 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar, preferably tarragon vinegar
  

• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
  

• 1 garlic clove, minced
  

• ½ teaspoon dried tarragon
  

• ½ teaspoon salt
  

• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
  

• ½ pound thinly sliced cooked chicken breast
  

• 8 thin diagonal slices of French bread
  

• 4 ounces Brie cheese, cut into 8 slices
  

1.
Preheat broiler. Place greens and red onion in a large bowl. In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, vinegar, mustard, garlic, tarragon, salt, and pepper. Pour about three-quarters of dressing over greens and toss to coat. Divide among 4 plates. Arrange chicken on top.

2.
Broil bread about 4 inches from heat about 1 minute, until one side is lightly toasted. Turn bread over and place cheese on top. Broil until the cheese melts, about 1 minute longer.

3.
Set Brie toasts at side of each salad and serve at once.

Prep: 15 minutes Cook: 20 minutes Serves: 6

• 1 cup converted white rice
  

• 10 ounces thinly sliced cooked chicken
  

• 1 cup diced smoked ham (about 4 ounces)
  

• ½ pound seeded and diced fresh plum tomatoes (1½ Cups)
  

• 1 cup coarsely chopped green bell pepper
  

• ¾ cup thinly sliced celery
  

• ⅔ cup chopped red onion
  

• ½ cup chopped parsley
  

• ¼ cup red wine vinegar
  

• 1½ teaspoons grainy mustard
  

• 1 teaspoon Tabasco or other hot sauce
  

• 1 garlic clove, minced
  

• ½ teaspoon dried oregano
  

• ½ teaspoon salt
  

• ¼ teaspoon cayenne
  

• 7 tablespoons olive oil, preferably extra-virgin
  

1.
In a small saucepan, bring 2 cups lightly salted water to a boil. Add rice, cover, reduce heat to low, and cook about 20 minutes, until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, 5 minutes.

2. In a large mixing bowl, combine cooked rice, chicken, ham, tomatoes, bell pepper, celery, red onion, and half of parsley. Toss gently to mix.

3.
In a small bowl, whisk together vinegar, mustard, hot sauce, garlic, oregano, salt, and cayenne until blended. Whisk in olive oil.

4.
Pour dressing over salad and toss to mix well. Let stand 10 minutes to allow flavors to blend. Sprinkle remaining parsley on top before serving.