Skip to main content

Summer Salad Marathon: Chicken Pasta Salad



It is very hot here, and that means I like to keep as far away from the stove/oven as possible. So that means we've been eating a lot of salad. I find salad making very tedious and usually delegate that chore to my husband. However, when the main dish is a salad, I find ample opportunities for creativity and experimentation.

I started with this recipe from Real Simple (August 2008), Chicken Salad with Potatoes & Arugula, but found that I was without arugula and just simply not in the mood for potatoes, so I lifted the dressing and the rotisserie chicken, substituted dried tarragon for fresh, and turned it into
Chicken Pasta Salad with Hearts of Palm

INGREDIENTS:
  • 1 package fresh or dried pasta (I like rotini or some other shape that will capture the goodies)
  • 1 rotisserie chicken (or chicken leftovers)--you'll probably only need half a chicken's worth
  • 2-3 large hearts of palm, sliced
  • 1/2 cup walnuts (optional)
  • 1/4 cup EVOO
  • 1-2 tablespoons champagne white wine vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon dried tarragon
  • salt and pepper
DIRECTIONS:
  • Cook pasta (approx 2 min. for fresh, longer for dried (see package directions) and strain in a colander. Run cool water over the pasta and let drain.
  • Shred half of the meat of the rotisserie chicken into a bowl and mix in the hearts of palm. Add cooled pasta and place in the fridge.
  • In a small bowl, whisk together the evoo, vinegar, mustard, tarragon and salt & pepper.
  • When ready to serve, add dressing and walnuts to the pasta, tossing well.*
*You may wish to dress the salad and then refrigerate it. This is fine, but may need a fresh bit of olive oil right before serving (or let it stand at room temp before serving).

I liked the walnuts because they added texture and helped cut the vinegar/mustard/hearts of palm brine. It is a unique context for chicken salad, so I wouldn't try it on the unadventurous who like their chicken salad traditionally prepared. I think I'd add some red onion next time, for the sake of COLOR :)

I served this salad with Green Beans with Shiitake Mushrooms that Bon Appétit either ripped off from IGDA (mushroom company) or the other way around. I used the recipe that came with a package of dried shiitake mushrooms from IGDA, but I used fresh shiitakes since I happened to pick them up at the store. If you use dried, you'll need to soak them in a bowl of warm water for 20-30 minutes, rinsing thoroughly.
Labels:

Comments

  1. JoséeJuly 18, 2010 at 6:12 PM

    Bon appétit! Merci Rebecca, je prends note de cette recette. J'adore les salades.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Winter Farmers Market: Sautéed Scallops and Herbed Rice

Somerville, MA is a great city. I love living here, and this year's new Winter Farmer's Market just added to my joy. It runs between now and March, and it has been inspiring to see people trudging out in the cold, ice and snow, to the Armory (yes, the market is inside). This past Saturday, I stocked up on locally grown leeks and potatoes, grabbed some hot Italian sausage from Stillman's , and then ventured upstairs to buy some FRESH FISH from Jordan Brothers Seafood. Yes, that's right: haddock from Gloucester, and scallops from Maine. Not frozen--fresh. When she showed me the scallops I might have cried, just a little. Oh, and I picked up a baguette, brioche, and potato bread. Scallops don't require a lot of fuss, but are easy to overcook. I pulled out my San Juan Classics Cookbook (San Juan Islands in the Pacific Northwest, not Puerto Rico) and went straight to the shellfish section where I found a recipe for "Sautéed Prawns or Scallops" from Thibert...
3 comments
Read more

Miscellanea: Sicilian Caramelized Onions and Homemade Pita Chips

Last month, my family came to visit. My father, who has recently been getting back in touch with his Sicilian roots, is a wonderful cook and I'll admit that I've always been a little daunted cooking for people who cook really well. At any rate, we decided to have a barbeque, invited a few close friends, and I cooked...for three days. This was certainly the most cooking in which I have ever engaged for a single event. Because the attendees to our barbeque ran the gamut of dietary concerns and preferences, I wanted variety. And variety there was. The menu (aside from the meat, which we left to my dad to grill): homemade roasted peppers Sicilian caramelized onions homemade pita chips tabbouleh Amish slaw Chorizo salad watermelon and fresh mint salad To keep this blog post short and sweet, I'll only blog two recipes (the ones that are hyperlinked have been blogged before). First, the pita chips. My dad wanted to help me in the kitchen (something toward which I am usuall...
2 comments
Read more

Quinoa Pilaf with Artichokes, Leeks and Sugar Snap Peas

More Quinoa!  This was healthy, easy, and, "a way I actually *like* quinoa" as reported by my husband.  The recipe is here , and I made the following notes: stir the quinoa in the oil and leeks for 2-3 minutes before adding the broth definitely use low-sodium chicken broth---quinoa absorbs salt very well and I found that the regular chicken broth was too salty.  If you are using homemade stock or veggie broth, you are probably fine. I will add the snap peas last next time (with the artichoke hearts). I like my peas to retain their "snap." This is really a terrific meal for summer or to bring to a potluck.
2 comments
Read more