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Poached Chicken Salad with Garden Vegetables_Hero

Poached Chicken Salad with Garden Vegetables

This poached chicken salad with garden vegetables is so fresh and healthy and is best served with our favorite homemade ranch dressing!
5 from 2 votes
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Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 4
Calories: 550kcal

Equipment

  • Whisk
  • Skillet
  • Shallow pan

Ingredients

Poached Chicken:

  • 3 medium chicken breasts boneless and skinless
  • 1 teaspoon peppercorns
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 3 sprigs thyme
  • 3 garlic cloves peeled and lightly crushed
  • Salt to taste
  • Water

Salad:

  • 2 small heads fresh romaine lettuce chopped
  • 1 English cucumber thinly sliced
  • 5 red radishes trimmed and sliced into rounds
  • 1 avocado peeled and thinly sliced
  • 1 pint cherry tomatoes halved
  • ½ baguette cut into bite-sized pieces
  • 1 tablespoon butter plus 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil optional
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Dressing:

  • ½ cup buttermilk
  • ¼ cup mayonnaise
  • ¼ cup sour cream
  • 2 teaspoons dry dill
  • 1 teaspoon dry parsley
  • 1 teaspoon dry chives
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • ½ teaspoon hot paprika or cayenne powder or hot sauce, optional
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Prepare the Dressing:

  • Whisk together all of the ingredients for the ranch dressing until smooth and creamy. Taste and adjust the seasonings to your preference. Set aside.

Prepare the Croutons

  • In a small skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the extra virgin olive oil and the chopped baguette. Cook for 3-5 minutes or until the bread is warm and toasted. Turn off the heat and transfer the toasted croutons to a bowl.

Prepare the Poached Chicken:

  • Place the chicken breasts in a shallow pan (a wide sauté pan works great for this) and season the breasts with salt. Add the peppercorns, bay leaves, and thyme. Place a crushed garlic clove on top of each chicken breast. Fill the pan with water until it reaches about the halfway point of the chicken breasts.
  • Bring the water to a boil and then turn the heat to medium for 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and cover the pan for 20 minutes. Test the temperature after 20 minutes. Once the chicken reaches 165ºF, transfer the breasts to a cutting board and thinly slice cross-wise.

Prepare the Salad:

  • Toss the romaine with the cucumber, radishes, and tomatoes. Drizzle with a teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil, if desired and a sprinkle of salt and pepper.

To Serve:

  • Divide the salad between blows and arrange the sliced chicken, avocado, and croutons on top. Serve with the ranch dressing. Enjoy!

Nutrition

Calories: 550kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 43g | Fat: 29g | Sodium: 539mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin C: 38mg
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