What’s for dinner? Herbed cranberry and chicken salad
If you are trying to get your eating habits on a healthy track, this herbed cranberry and chicken salad is a great starting point. It uses fresh and nutrient-rich ingredients that give your body important vitamins and minerals.
You’ll need: 400 – 600g skinless deboned chicken thighs; 1 tsp dried thyme; salt and pepper to taste; 1 tsp olive oil; ¼ cup water, or as needed; 2 cups mixed salad leaves; ½ red onion, thinly sliced; ½ cup sliced chives; ½ cup torn fresh parsley; ½ cup torn fresh dill; ¼ cup crumbled blue cheese.
For the dressing – 2 Tbsp red wine vinegar; ¼ cup olive oil; ¾ cup dried cranberries, plus extra for garnishing; 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard; 1 clove garlic, finely chopped; 3–4 Tbsp water; salt and pepper to taste.
How to:
Season the chicken thighs with the thyme, salt and pepper.
Heat the olive oil in a frying pan and brown the chicken thighs on all sides. Cook the chicken until done, adding the water if the pan gets dry. Remove from the heat and allow to cool before slicing the chicken.
Using a hand blender, whizz the dressing ingredients until smooth.
Combine the mixed salad leaves with half the chicken and the red onion in a serving bowl. Season with salt and pepper and pour over half the dressing. Toss to combine.
Scatter over the chives, parsley, dill and blue cheese.
Add the remaining chicken, drizzle over the rest of the dressing and garnish with extra dried cranberries.
*Recipe and image by cookbook author and salad queen, Chantal Lascaris, The Ultimate Salad Book.
