Green Chicken Salad

At Foodtasmic we are always looking for easy and simple ways to make a quick lunch that satisfies in several ways. Quick is easier when we can use some basic ingredients that we often have around.

Cooked chicken. We often have left over chicken around from a roast chicken dinner. With just a little chicken a great lunch can be made with a special chicken salad.

Recently we needed to make a quick but special lunch. We had cooked chicken. How were we going to make a different salad mixture?

Special is easier to create when things look better. We do eat with our eyes. This time we chose green as what we would use to tie together taste and color.

In her recipes, the great English food writer Elizabeth David would say, “Pick whatever fresh herbs you have growing outside the back door.”  A pot or two of herbs is relatively easy to maintain most of the year – outside or in. It’s a Foodtasmic basic – try to keep fresh herbs on hand. We chose mint for our salad.

What else did we have that was green? A peek in the crisper revealed cucumbers, blanched green peas and lettuce. That ought to work.

Chopped chicken was the thing. This was not going to be for a sandwich or spread. We cut the cucumber into pieces midway in size between the chicken and the green peas. A base was made from olive oil mayo and Dijon Mustard – two Foodtasmic staples – seasoned with salt, pepper and chopped fresh mint. In went the chicken with a stir followed by the cukes and peas.

The salad was served on a dark green lettuce leaf and garnished with mint leaves. So easy – so quick – so good – so attractive. It was a great warm weather delight.