Description
Barefoot Contessa’s lemon chicken salad brings Mediterranean flavors to your table with zesty citrus and herb-infused grilled chicken. Fresh ingredients combine effortlessly, creating a light and refreshing dish you’ll crave for summer lunches and quick weeknight meals.
Ingredients
Scale
Protein:
- 280g (10 ounces, 2 ½ cups) cooked and diced chicken breast (rotisserie works well)
Herbs and Seasonings:
- 1 heaped tablespoon chopped fresh dill
- 2 tablespoons finely minced red onion
- 1 heaped teaspoon grated lemon zest
- ¼ heaped teaspoon salt
- Pinch or two of black pepper
Liquids and Additional Ingredients:
- 60ml (¼ cup, 2 fluid ounces) plus 30ml (2 tablespoons, 1 fluid ounce) full-fat Greek yoghurt
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- Pita bread, crackers, or fresh greens for serving
Instructions
- Meticulously dice the cooked chicken into uniform, bite-sized cubes ensuring consistent texture throughout the salad.
- Finely mince the red onion to create delicate, translucent pieces that will distribute subtle sharp flavor without overwhelming the other ingredients.
- Using a microplane grater, carefully zest the lemon, capturing only the bright yellow outer layer and avoiding the bitter white pith underneath.
- Delicately chop the fresh dill, releasing its aromatic herbaceous essence and creating small, fragrant snippets.
- In a spacious mixing bowl, combine the chicken, red onion, lemon zest, Greek yogurt (227 grams), kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper, and extra virgin olive oil.
- Gently fold the ingredients together using a silicone spatula, ensuring each morsel is evenly coated with the creamy yogurt dressing.
- Sprinkle the chopped dill over the mixture, folding it in with soft, deliberate strokes to distribute the herb’s vibrant flavor profile.
- Taste the salad and adjust seasoning, adding pinches of salt or pepper as needed to balance the flavors.
- Cover the bowl with a tight-fitting lid or plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld and intensify.
- Serve chilled alongside warm pita bread, crisp crackers, or atop a bed of fresh, crisp mixed greens.
Notes
- Elevate the zest by grating fresh lemon peel directly into the salad, capturing its vibrant, aromatic essence that bottled juice simply can’t match.
- Give the flavors time to mingle by chilling the salad for a minimum of 30 minutes, allowing each ingredient to whisper its delicious secrets to the others.
- Opt for full-fat Greek yoghurt to create a luxuriously creamy texture that transforms this dish from ordinary to extraordinary.
- Trust your taste buds and adjust seasonings just before serving, ensuring every bite sings with perfectly balanced flavors.
- Handle the chicken with care, stirring gently to preserve its tender chunks and prevent a mushy disappointment.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Snacks
- Method: Blending
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 280
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 500mg
- Fat: 24g
- Saturated Fat: 3.5g
- Carbohydrates: 4g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 12g
- Cholesterol: 50mg