salad | Kitchenbelle

Curried Chicken Salad

Posted on July 23, 2009 by kitchenbelle

As I previously mentioned, I have been in search of low-fuss no-cook appetizers. There is nothing worse than slaving over a hot oven in the middle of summer! (That kind of heat makes me grumpy and that is no way to greet guests!) Again, with the guidance of MyRecipes.com editor Ashley Johnson, I decided to make this curried chicken salad. Not only was it a success with my guests but I have been eating it for lunch every day!

Some notes:

–I chose to serve this as an appetizer with pita chips, therefore, it was extremely important that I diced the components of the salad into very small pieces. I made sure there weren’t any large chunks of chicken that would be larger than the pita chips. The same for the apple, pineapple, and grapes. Definitely cut each grape into at least four pieces–possibly even six. When you are chopping envision each pita chip scooping up some of the salad–if your dices are the right size each bite should contain almost every component of the salad. You would never want one scoop to contain nothing but a giant grape! On the other hand, if I were serving this in sandwich rolls at a luncheon, it would be okay to leave the components of the salad in larger cubes because in that situation your guests are filling an entire roll. Make sense?

–I substituted Chobani plain-flavored yogurt in place of mayo.

–Some commenters on MyRecipes.com indicated they used raisins instead of currants. I suggest sticking to the currants. They are nice and small and make the salad a little jazzier.

–For the chicken, I grilled fresh cutlets seasoned with salt and pepper and then shredded/diced them up, however, you could use a grocery store rotisserie chicken or even canned water packed chicken (drained) in a pinch.

–Add the curry powder and then taste. You may want to add more.

–I think I doubled (or maybe even tripled) this recipe.

Curried Chicken Salad:

1 1/2 cups chopped cooked chicken breast

1/2 cup halved seedless red grapes (dice size depends on you want to serve the salad)

1/2 cup diced peeled unpeeled green apple

2 tablespoons diced pineapple

1 tablespoon dried currants

3 tablespoons plain Chobani yogurt

1 teaspoon honey

1/2 teaspoon curry powder

1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Combine chicken, grapes, apple, pineapple, and currants in a large bowl. In another bowl, combine yogurt, honey, curry powder, lemon juice, salt and pepper stirring with a whisk. Pour dressing mixture over chicken mixture; toss gently to coat. Cover and chill.

Adapted from MyRecipes.com.

Filed under: Appetizer, apple, chicken, Main Dish, pineapple, salad, sandwich | 5 Comments »

White Bean Salad

Posted on July 13, 2009 by kitchenbelle

This salad is perfect for those nights when it is just too hot to cook. It is not only simple to make, but also it is delicious. The yogurt gives the dressing a bit of a creamy texture while balancing the punch of the vinegar and mustard.

I served this salad beneath yogurt marinated grilled turkey tip kebabs, however, it could certainly stand on its own as a delicious vegetarian dish. It is protein packed and quite filling.

One note: Serve this salad at room temp (not cold) for maximum flavor.

White Bean Salad:

dressing

3/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2-3 garlic cloves , minced
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

salad

2 15.5 ounce cans white beans (Kidney, Great Northern or Navy), drained and rinsed in a colander under cold running water
2 red peppers, diced
4-6 tablespoons of finely chopped chives (reserve a few pinches for garnish)

Whisk all dressing ingredients together in a glass bowl. Set aside.

Combine all salad ingredients in a serving bowl. Pour dressing over salad and use a wooden spoon to toss and coat beans with dressing. Garnish with a few pinches of remaining chives.

Adapted from GlobalGourmet.com.

Filed under: beans, chives, Main Dish, peppers, salad, Side, VEGETARIAN | 1 Comment »

Broccoli Salad

Posted on July 7, 2009 by kitchenbelle

I hope you had a fantastic holiday weekend! The sun finally introduced itself to Bostonians after weeks of shyness—and it could not have been better timing. It was a beautiful weekend to spend outdoors grilling, playing backyard games, and basking in the rays.

My mother made this salad as one of many sides to accompany our grilled proteins. I could not stop snacking on it! The broccoli stays crunchy even as it absorbs the dressing which is light and sweet yet subtle. It is not goopy or “mayonnaisey” at all, even though it contains mayonnaise. This is my new favorite side salad! I hope you will give it a try.

Broccoli Salad:

2 cups mayonnaise
4 tablespoons red wine vinegar
½ cup sugar
1 cup raisins
1 large red onion, chopped
4-6 pounds fresh broccoli florets (do not use frozen, they will get mushy!)
1 pound bacon, fried and chopped into small pieces

Combine first five ingredients (dressing) and pour over broccoli florets. Let sit over night (or at least a few hours) for maximum dressing absorption. (Mix with a wooden spoon occasionally so all broccoli absorbs dressing equally.) Top with bacon just prior to serving.

Filed under: broccoli, salad, Side | 4 Comments »

Quinoa Salad with Corn and Red Pepper

Posted on May 19, 2009 by kitchenbelle

Quinoa is all the rage these days! Everywhere I turn there are either quinoa recipes or articles praising quinoa as the best food source ever. I had to get on the bandwagon! I’ve been holding on to a box of quinoa for a few weeks now and I finally settled on making this Martha Stewart recipe. I was quite pleased! The taste and texture of the quinoa reminded me of a combination of rice and couscous–I think that if it were possible to “mate” the two, this is the taste and texture you would get!

Because I served this as a main dish, not a side, and I didn’t know what to expect, I decided to add some pulled chicken breast. (I actually bought one of those grocery store roasting chickens and pulled off the deliciously moist meat—I am surprised over and over and over at how fabulous these birds are!) That said, this is a filling meal and by no means did it need the chicken. Without the chicken I think this would be a perfectly satisfying gluten free vegetarian main course or side. Also, I think it would pair perfectly with turkey tips or steak tips (or any other grilled or broiled protein–think Memorial Day cookout!).

This recipe was a light yet filling, delicious, and nutritious gluten free meal—and a perfect introduction to this super-grain.

Quinoa Salad with Corn and Red Pepper:

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon red cider vinegar
3 tablespoons fresh basil, thinly sliced
1.5 teaspoons mustard powder
1 clove garlic, minced
salt and pepper to taste
1.5 cups quinoa, cooked according to package directions, using chicken or vegetable broth in place of water
1 cup of frozen corn kernels, thawed
1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and diced
3 scallions, thinly sliced
chicken breast pieces, cooked
baby spinach

Whisk olive oil, vinegar, basil, mustard powder, and garlic in a large bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Add the (cooked) quinoa, corn, chicken, diced red pepper, and half of the sliced scallions to the bowl. Toss lightly to combine.

Arrange baby spinach on individual serving plates or a platter. Mound salad on the center. Garnish with remaining scallions.

Recipe adapted from MarthaStewart.com.

Filed under: Appetizer, basil, chicken, corn, gluten free, Main Dish, peppers, quinoa, salad, Side, spinach | 2 Comments »

Soba Noodle Salad

Posted on April 20, 2009 by kitchenbelle

Have you seen the “Going Going Gone” episode of Barefoot Contessa? In it she makes Crunchy Noodle Salad, Asian Grilled Salmon, and Lemon Yogurt Cake with Blueberry Sauce. This episode really makes me want to jump into her kitchen. (She is my favorite—isn’t her kitchen such a peaceful place?) I have had this episode saved on my DVR for weeks now because I have been dying to make the Crunchy Noodle Salad. It is just so appealing! Well I finally made it!

I made some adjustments:

Instead of spaghetti, as Ina suggests, I used soba noodles. Soba noodles are Japanese noodles made of buckwheat flour. The texture of these noodles is fantastic!
I had some black sesame seeds on hand so I used those instead of white sesame seeds.
I only used one red bell pepper instead of two.
I contemplated replacing the vegetable oil with olive oil. I don’t like cooking with vegetable oil but I feared the olive oil flavor would be too powerful and offset the wonderful flavors of salad so I stuck with the vegetable oil.
One adjustment I didn’t make this time but that I will make next time is to use crunchy peanut butter instead of smooth. I think the crunch of the peanut butter will add to the great textures of this dish.
I think julienned carrots would be an excellent addition to boost the crunch factor.

The verdict: FANTASTIC!

I am not kidding. This is one of the best dishes! It is ABSOLUTELY delicious. The fresh flavors and combination of textures really make this dish wonderful. I served it with teriyaki-seared scallops; however, it would be a perfect accompaniment to steaks, salmon, or any other grilled protein. Furthermore, this is a perfect dish to bring to a picnic, cookout, or potluck. I hope you enjoy it as much as we did!

Barefoot Contessa’s Crunchy Soba Noodle Salad:

1/2 pound soba noodles

1 pound sugar snap peas

1 cup vegetable oil

1/4 cup rice wine vinegar

1/3 cup soy sauce

3 tablespoons dark sesame oil

1 tablespoon honey

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger

3 tablespoons toasted white sesame seeds, divided

1/2 cup smooth peanut butter

1 red bell pepper, cored and seeded, and thinly sliced

4 scallions (with and green parts), sliced diagonally

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the noodles and cook according to package directions. Drain and set aside.

Meanwhile, bring another large pot of salted water to a boil, add the sugar snap peas, return to a boil, and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, until crisp tender. Lift the sugar snap peas from the water with a slotted spoon and immerse them in a bowl of ice water. Drain.

For the dressing, whisk together the vegetable oil, rice wine vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, honey, garlic, ginger, 2 tablespoons sesame seeds and peanut butter in a medium bowl.

Combine the noodles, sugar snap peas, peppers and scallions in a large bowl. Pour the dressing over the spaghetti mixture. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of sesame seeds and toss together.