chicken, recipe, salads

Refreshing Chicken Salad with Walnuts and Blue Cheese Ranch Dressing

Posted by spaulyseasonalservings on

It’s summer here in the UK and we are going though a heatwave at the moment. When it’s hot I don’t fancy anything heavy are cooked so I’ve been eating a lot of salads and light dishes like fish and white meats. I love a cold crispy lettuce as the base for my salad with a protein, this salad with the chicken gives such a nice contrast. The nuts also add a nice crunch and match the blue cheese perfectly! Leftover chicken would work so well in this dish too. It’s light, easy to make and extremely refreshing.

Ingredients (serves 2)

For the dressing

  • 3 tbsp natural yoghurt
  • 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
  • 1 small garlic clove, peeled and roughly chopped
  • 2 anchovies, roughly chopped
  • 2 Stalks of chives, finely chopped
  • 25g blue cheese, your preferred taste, creamy, Stilton, mild etc. I used a dolcelatte
  • 1/2 tsp maple syrup, if needed

For the salad

  • 2 heads of a crispy lettuce such as baby gem, iceberg or romaine (I used romaine)
  • 20 walnuts, I toast mine in the airfryer for 3 minutes at 200 degrees a pan would work too or just use them raw
  • 1 cooked chicken breast sliced or a handful of leftover chicken chopped
  • 3 chives, chopped
  • Extra blue cheese crumble, optional

Directions

  1. For the dressing add all of the ingredients apart from the maple syrup and chives to a food processor and blitz until smooth. If the texture is too thick add a splash of water and blitz again. Add the chives and give it a stir. Taste if it’s too sharp add in the maple syrup. It shouldn’t need Salt because of the anchovies and cheese but if for your taste you think it does add a pinch. Set aside.
  2. Roughly chop the lettuce and pop into a bowl. Add 2/3 of the dressing, give it a good toss so every bit of lettuce is coated. Put it in the fridge so it is nice and cold when you are ready to serve.
  3. Toast your walnuts (if doing so) and set aside. Slice or chop the chicken and chives.
  4. To assemble add the walnuts to the dressed lettuce and lightly toss. Share between 2 serving bowls. Drizzle over the remaining dressing. Top with the chicken and chives. Crumb over the blue cheese if using and serve. Enjoy 😊

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