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Thin-Sliced Vegetable Salad with Walnuts, Chicken, and Basil Balsamic Vinaigrette

Thin-Sliced Vegetable Salad with Walnuts, Chicken, and Basil Balsamic Vinaigrette

A chef's knife can be used to thinly slice the vegetables, but a Japanese-style mandoline, also called a Benriner slicer, makes the job easy and the cut perfect -- a great and relatively inexpensive tool for vegetable lovers. The recipe makes extra dressing; serve it on the side.

Body+Soul, July/August 2005 http://www.marthastewart.com/133295/thin-sliced-vegetable-salad-walnuts-chicken-and-basil-balsamic-vinaigrette
3
Rated
60100(6)6
  • Yield Serves 4

Ingredients

    • 1 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves
    • 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
    • 1 medium garlic clove, minced or pressed
    • 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
    • 1 bunch arugula, stems trimmed, washed, dried, torn into bite-size pieces
    • 1 small head radicchio, quartered, core removed, thinly sliced
    • 1 small head Boston lettuce, washed, dried, torn into bite-size pieces
    • 1 medium fennel bulb, stalk and fronds removed, base trimmed, bulb cut in half lengthwise, cored, thinly sliced lengthwise
    • 1 medium red pepper, cored, seeded, halved crosswise, thinly sliced lengthwise
    • 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced lengthwise
    • 1/2 cup walnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped
    • Sea salt
    • Ground black pepper
    • 1 large endive, leaves separated, washed and dried<br><br>
    • 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed of fat
    • 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth or water

Directions

  1. Season the chicken with salt; place the broth (or water) and chicken in a small stockpot. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, cover, and cook until chicken is just done, about 10 minutes. Remove breasts; cool, shred, and set aside. Reserve broth for future use.
  2. Place basil, vinegar, garlic, oil, and salt to taste in blender. Blend until smooth and set aside.
  3. In a large bowl, toss arugula, radicchio, lettuce, fennel, red pepper, onion, walnuts, 1/2 cup salad dressing, and salt and pepper to taste. Place three endive leaves in a three-pointed star with tips facing out on four individual dinner plates or wide shallow bowls. Place equal mounds of salad in center. Arrange chicken on top.

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