Il Cucinologo
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Crusted Chicken Salad

17/11/2023

Crusted chicken salad is a fresh and tasty dish, perfect for a summer lunch or a light dinner. Here is the recipe:

Ingredients

  • 2 chicken breasts
  • 2 rolls of puff pastry
  • Mixed salad (lettuce, arugula, baby spinach or others of your choice)
  • Cherry tomatoes
  • Pitted black olives
  • 1 egg (for brushing)
  • Salt and pepper
  • Extra virgin olive oil
  • Balsamic vinegar
  • Aromatic herbs (rosemary, thyme, basil, etc.)
  • Sesame or poppy seeds (optional)

Preparation

  1. Preheat the oven to 200 °C. Season the chicken breasts with salt, pepper and finely chopped aromatic herbs.
  2. Roll out the puff pastry and place the chicken breasts in the center. If you like, you can add a little mustard or spreadable cheese to enrich the flavor.
  3. Wrap the chicken breasts inside the puff pastry, sealing the edges well. You can use beaten egg to help close the pastry so it doesn’t open during cooking.
  4. Brush the surface of the puff pastry with the beaten egg and sprinkle with sesame or poppy seeds to add crunch and flavor.
  5. Bake the crusted chicken and cook for 25-30 minutes or until the puff pastry is golden and crispy.
  6. Meanwhile, prepare the salad: wash the mixed salad and cherry tomatoes well, then halve the tomatoes and thinly slice the olives.
  7. Arrange the salad in a large bowl, dress with oil, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper to taste.
  8. Once the chicken is cooked and the crust is golden, remove the chicken from the oven and let it cool for a few minutes before slicing it.
  9. Arrange the slices of crusted chicken on top of the salad and serve.

This salad is versatile: you can add other ingredients such as cucumbers, carrots, corn or whatever you prefer to make the salad even richer and more interesting.

Trivia

The idea of wrapping meat in a pastry shell has ancient origins and is found in various culinary cultures, including classic English Wellingtons and various savory strudels in Central Europe. In Italy, meat “in crust” recalls the preparation of filet in crust, a refined dish beloved in restaurants.