Vetted Recipes

Best Recipe for Grilled Chicken Summer Salad

Ingredients

  • 5 tablespoons red-wine vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 2 small garlic cloves, minced
  • 3/4 teaspoon sugar
  • 3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1/4 cup chopped chives
  • 4 cups water
  • 1/3 cup kosher salt
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 4 garlic cloves, smashed
  • 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
  • 1 bunch radishes
  • 4 Persian cucumbers or 1 seedless cucumber
  • 1/2 cup packed flat-leaf parsley leaves
  • 1 (15-to 19-ounces) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
  • 1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
  • 1 tablespoon chopped mint
  • 1 pound haricorts verts or other green beans
  • 1/2 cup whole almonds with skin, toasted and coarsely chopped
  • 3/4 pound fresh cremini mushrooms, halved
  • 3/4 pound fresh shiitake mushrooms, stems reserved for another use and caps halved
  • 2 pounds skinless boneless chicken thighs
  • 1/3 cup basil pesto
  • 2 medium tomatoes, cut into 1/2-inch-thick wedges
  • 1/4 cup thinly sliced basil
  • 4 cups thinly sliced romaine, Bibb, and/or Boston lettuce
  • Equipment: a perforated grill sheet

Instructions

  1. Whisk together all vinaigrette ingredients, except oil and chives, with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Add oil in a slow stream, whisking until emulsified. Whisk in chives.
  2. Make radish-cucumber salad: Boil water with salt, sugar, garlic, and peppercorns in a 4-quart pot, uncovered, 10 minutes. While brine boils, trim and halve radishes. Halve cucumbers lengthwise and cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Remove brine from heat. Add radishes and cucumbers and let stand, uncovered, 10 minutes. Drain in a colander, discarding garlic and peppercorns. Transfer radishes and cucumbers to an ice bath to stop cooking, then drain well in colander. Transfer to a large bowl and chill, uncovered, about 20 minutes.
  3. Boil water with salt, sugar, garlic, and peppercorns in a 4-quart pot, uncovered, 10 minutes.
  4. While brine boils, trim and halve radishes. Halve cucumbers lengthwise and cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick slices.
  5. Remove brine from heat. Add radishes and cucumbers and let stand, uncovered, 10 minutes. Drain in a colander, discarding garlic and peppercorns. Transfer radishes and cucumbers to an ice bath to stop cooking, then drain well in colander.
  6. Transfer to a large bowl and chill, uncovered, about 20 minutes.
  7. Make chickpea salad: Stir together chickpeas, onion, 1/4 cup vinaigrette, and salt and pepper to taste.
  8. Stir together chickpeas, onion, 1/4 cup vinaigrette, and salt and pepper to taste.
  9. Cook green beans: Cook green beans in a large pot of well-salted boiling water, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until just tender, 3 to 6 minutes. Drain. Transfer to a large ice bath to stop cooking. Drain again and pat dry.
  10. Cook green beans in a large pot of well-salted boiling water, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until just tender, 3 to 6 minutes. Drain. Transfer to a large ice bath to stop cooking. Drain again and pat dry.
  11. Grill mushrooms and chicken: Prepare grill for direct-heat cooking over hot charcoal (medium-high heat for gas); see Grilling Procedure . Toss mushrooms with 2 tablespoons vinaigrette and marinate 10 minutes. Grill mushrooms in 2 batches on oiled grill sheet, covered only if using a gas grill, stirring frequently, until golden-brown, about 5 minutes per batch. Toss hot mushrooms with 2 tablespoons vinaigrette. Season chicken with 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Oil grill rack, then grill chicken over medium-hot charcoal (medium heat for gas), covered only if using a gas grill, turning chicken occasionally and moving it as necessary to avoid flare-ups, until just cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes total. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest 10 minutes. Cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices and toss with pesto in a large bowl.
  12. Prepare grill for direct-heat cooking over hot charcoal (medium-high heat for gas); see Grilling Procedure .
  13. Toss mushrooms with 2 tablespoons vinaigrette and marinate 10 minutes.
  14. Grill mushrooms in 2 batches on oiled grill sheet, covered only if using a gas grill, stirring frequently, until golden-brown, about 5 minutes per batch. Toss hot mushrooms with 2 tablespoons vinaigrette.
  15. Season chicken with 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Oil grill rack, then grill chicken over medium-hot charcoal (medium heat for gas), covered only if using a gas grill, turning chicken occasionally and moving it as necessary to avoid flare-ups, until just cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes total. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest 10 minutes.
  16. Cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices and toss with pesto in a large bowl.
  17. Dress salads and assemble dish: Toss brined cucumbers and radishes with parsley, 3 tablespoons vinaigrette, and salt and pepper to taste. Stir mint into chickpea salad. Toss beans with 2 tablespoons vinaigrette and salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with almonds. Toss tomatoes with 3 tablespoons vinaigrette, basil, and salt and pepper to taste. Toss lettuce with 1 tablespoon vinaigrette. Arrange chicken, mushrooms, and salads side by side on a large platter and serve remaining vinaigrette on the side.
  18. Toss brined cucumbers and radishes with parsley, 3 tablespoons vinaigrette, and salt and pepper to taste.
  19. Stir mint into chickpea salad.
  20. Toss beans with 2 tablespoons vinaigrette and salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with almonds.
  21. Toss tomatoes with 3 tablespoons vinaigrette, basil, and salt and pepper to taste.
  22. Toss lettuce with 1 tablespoon vinaigrette.
  23. Arrange chicken, mushrooms, and salads side by side on a large platter and serve remaining vinaigrette on the side.

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