Warming
Up to….
With
summer just a few degrees away, my dinner cravings take a sharp turn from meat
and heavy side dishes cooked in the oven to grilled entrees and creative salads
using fresh ingredients, simply prepared.
This
salad recipe, from a food feature in The Commercial Appeal, makes the transition
beautifully. It uses fresh
ingredients, ever mindful of their tender texture and bright appearance, and
dresses them with the bold transitional flavor of a country Dijon mustard
marinade.
…the
Dijon Blues
This
is a chicken salad like I have never tasted chicken salad before. Not only does
it avoid mayonnaise (a big plus in my book), it uses the sassy sophistication
of Dijon mustard to both marinate the chicken and dress the salad. Balancing
the bold flavor and earthy color of country Dijon are bright bites of
asparagus, slivers of red onion and chunks of bell pepper. To seal the deal
these lovely contrasts of flavor and texture are accented with a handful of sharp
yet creamy blue cheese crumbles.
Served
with a fresh green salad and crusty roll, or alongside a bed of brown rice,
Dijon Blue Chicken Salad makes an interesting and satisfying addition to a warm
weather menu.
Dijon
Blue Chicken Salad
3
or 4 servings
1
lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
4
Tablespoons olive oil, divided
3
Tablespoons Dijon mustard, divided
1
lb. pencil-thin asparagus, cleaned and trimmed
½
cup thinly sliced red onion
½
cup sliced red bell pepper
½
cup sliced yellow or orange bell pepper
salt
and pepper
½
cup crumbled blue cheese
In
a shallow pan, whisk together 2 Tablespoons olive oil and 2 Tablespoons Dijon
mustard (I like the texture of country Dijon but any Dijon will do).
Add
the chicken breasts to the dish, turning to completely coat in the mustard
mixture. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
Meanwhile:
Cut asparagus into bite sized pieces.
Heat
a large skillet over medium heat.
Add 1 Tablespoon olive oil and heat until shimmery. Add the asparagus and cook, stirring
frequently, for a minute or two.
Add
the onion and bell pepper slices to the skillet. Continue cooking, stirring frequently, until tender,
approximately 5 minutes. Set aside to cool.
When
you are ready to cook, season the chicken with salt and pepper and grill over
hot coals, or under the broiler, cooking approximately 7 minutes on each side, or until
cooked through (to an internal temperature of 165F.)
Allow
cooked chicken to rest for 5 minutes.
Slice thinly, against the grain.
Set aside to cool to room temperature.
In
a large bowl, toss together the chicken, asparagus, onion, and bell
pepper. Add the remaining 1
Tablespoon of mustard and 1 Tablespoon of oil. Toss to coat.
Add
the blue cheese crumbles. Toss
gently. Season with salt and
pepper to taste.
Serve
salad chilled or at room temperature. It can even be made the day before and
stored in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
Enjoy!