Chicken Salad With Nectarines in Mint Vinaigrette

Submitted by CaliforniaJan

"The mint adds a refreshing note to the dressing, which will also work well in a fresh fruit salad. Use any curly lettuce leaves in place of red leaf. From Cooking Light Magazine, May 2004."

 

• Ready In: 30mins
• Ingredients: 12
• Serves: 5

ingredients

• Dressing

• 1 cup fresh mint leaves, loosely packed
• 1⁄3 cup sugar
• 1⁄4 cup white wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

• Salad

• 2 cups cooked chicken breasts, chopped
• 1 cup chopped seeded cucumber
• 1⁄3 cup chopped pecans, toasted
• 2 tablespoons red onions, minced
• 3 nectarines, chopped, peeled, and pitted
• 5 leaves red leaf lettuce

directions

1. To prepare dressing, place mint and sugar in a food processor; process until finely chopped, scraping sides of bowl. Add vinegar, juice, salt, and pepper, and process 30 seconds to combine.
2. To prepare salad, combine chicken, cucumber, pecans, onion, and nectarines in a medium bowl. Drizzle dressing over salad; toss well to coat. Place 1 lettuce leaf on each of 5 plates; top each serving with 3/4 cup salad.
3. Note: In a pinch, substitute fresh melon for the nectarines. Look for chopped peeled melon in the produce section at the grocery. Cooking time is for the chicken.

Reviews

[WiGal]

Definitely more than a 5 star salad! I did use a tad less sugar- 3 tablespoons. I REALLY liked this a lot! Vibrant flavors. And what a nice way to leftover chicken. My picture was taken before mixing the dressing into the chicken mixture, so it doesn't look exactly right. Thanks for a keeper. Made for Unrulies Under the Influence during Greece ZWT6.

 

[realbirdlady]

A fresh cool summer salad. I like the idea of blending these flavors, but the balance was a little off for my taste. I would use more mint, and omit the sugar, relying on the sweetness of the fruit. I did substitute in-season peaches for the nectarines. This can be eaten on the lettuce as a salad, or used as a sandwich filling (on sturdy bread).

 

[Anonymous]

I have been making this every summer ever since it was published in CL magazine. I also use fresh peaches in season and I’m very happy that you reposted the recipe here. Thanks Jan!!

 

[morgainegeiser]

This was a very fresh salad, I made it for a picnic and skipped the lettuce leaves for the ease of the picnic. Loved the Mint vinaigrette. Made for ZWT5 - all abroad challenge.