This main meal salad is perfect for al fresco eating. Grilling the chicken and scallions gives them extra flavor, best highlighted when they’re served warm on the dressed leaves.
Serves 4
Special equipment
Ridged cast-iron grill pan
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
salt and freshly ground black pepper
about 1 tbsp olive oil, for brushing
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, about 5 oz (140 g) each
8 scallions, trimmed and halved lengthwise
1 tsp chopped fresh tarragon
1 oz (30 g) arugula leaves
11⁄2 oz (45 g) lamb’s lettuce leaves
For the avocado salsa
2 medium, ripe avocados, halved, pitted, and peeled
11⁄2 tbsp lime juice
2 scallions, trimmed and finely chopped
1⁄4 tsp Tabasco
2 tsp chopped fresh tarragon
1. Put the extra virgin olive oil and vinegar in a small bowl, mix together, and season with salt and pepper; set aside. Make the salsa: cut the avocado into chunky pieces, put in a bowl, then gently stir in the lime juice, chopped scallions, Tabasco, and the 2 teaspoons of tarragon. Season with salt and pepper and set aside. (See Make a fresh green salsa.)
2. Preheat the grill pan over high heat. Brush a little of the olive oil over both sides of the chicken breasts and season with salt and pepper. Lower the heat to medium–high and lay the chicken on the pan, with the plump, smooth-side down. Cook for 5 minutes or until the chicken is golden with charred grill marks, then turn and cook for another 5 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a board, cover loosely with foil, and set aside to rest.
3. Brush the halved scallions all over with the rest of the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Lay them on the pan and cook for 2–3 minutes, so they get lightly charred all over (see Grill effectively).
4. To serve, stir the 1 teaspoon of tarragon into the oil and vinegar mix and toss the arugula and lamb’s lettuce leaves with this dressing (see Keep the leaves crisp). Cut each warm chicken breast into 5 or 6 chunky slices. Serve the chicken on a pile of the leaves with the grilled scallions, and the avocado salsa on the side.
WARM CHICKEN SALAD WITH AVOCADO SALSA
KEYS TO PERFECTION
Make a fresh green salsa
Mix the salsa very gently, as the avocado pieces can quickly become mushy if over-stirred. Don’t make it too far ahead, as the avocado will turn brown, although the lime juice will slow down the discoloring process.
Grill effectively
When grilling, turn the scallions a few times so they soften quickly and don’t burn. However, turn the chicken only once, so the grill markings don’t get distorted. Serve them both warm.
Keep the leaves crisp
Toss the salad leaves with the dressing just before serving, otherwise they will wilt. The oil and vinegar can be mixed ahead of time, but add the tarragon right at the end or it will lose its color.