Cooking: Lemony Chicken and Broccoli Salad (Recipe)

Well, this new year isn't off to quite the start I'd hoped. Usually I charge out of the gates and start checking new things off my list, energized by deadlines met or passed and optimistic about the time spread out in front of me. But this year I can't seem to get going. The latest is that my hard drive is failing. And we can't get a backup completed. Hmm...not good. I'm trying to hold the panic at bay.

On the bright side, I did make a really good salad! Just the thing to start off a healthy new year. There is an Italian cafe near me that serves a fresh tasting chicken salad, which is so simple, and crunchy and full of lemon and I was in the mood for something like it, so this is my take. Theirs has celery and no broccoli, but broccoli is preferred around here, and is one of our favorite salad ingredients, so I went with the broccoli.

Sound good to you? Click through for the recipe.

LEMONY CHICKEN AND BROCCOLI SALAD

• 2 large heads romaine lettuce
• 2 cups shredded chicken breast (rotisserie works, or poached)
• 2 cups blanched broccoli florets (or try thinly sliced celery if your prefer)
• 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
• 1 tablespoon capers (the really large capers would be even better!)
• Freshly ground sea salt and pepper
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• Simple Herb Vinaigrette (recipe follows)

Use a serrated knife to Slice the romaine into 1" pieces. Wash thoroughly and dry. 

In a large salad bowl combine the lettuce, chicken breast, broccoli, Parmesan cheese and capers. Season with salt and pepper. Squeeze the juice of 1/2 lemon over the ingredients. Add the Simple Herb Vinaigrette (start with half the dressing and see if it coats it sufficiently...you can always add more) and toss.  Serve.

SIMPLE HERB VINAIGRETTE

I love this dressing--it's a good basic on so many salads and you can vary the herbs you use to suit the dish.

• 1 large shallot, minced
• 1 T Dijon mustard
• 6 T olive oil
• 6 T red wine vinegar
• 2 T sherry (I have used the "cooking" version and the real deal depending on what I've got available...)
• 1 T chopped flat leaf parsley (or 1 teaspoon dried)
• 1 T minced fresh thyme (or 1 teaspoon dried)
• 1 T honey

Add all ingredients to a blender and blend until emulsified.