Ina Garten Grilled Lemon Chicken Salad

Ina Garten grilled lemon chicken salad is a cold, crisp salad with sliced grilled chicken, sugar snap peas and bell peppers, ready in 25 minutes once the chicken is cooked. Save this easy spring salad for lunch, potlucks or summer cookouts, because it's make-ahead and served chilled.

Chill the grilled chicken completely before you slice it, because cold breasts cut into clean, even pieces. Slice it warm and the meat shreds and dries out before it ever meets the lemon.

Ina Garten came up with this salad on the spur of the moment, when she needed an idea fast and raided her refrigerator. It became the most popular salad at her shop, and she swaps in blanched asparagus for the snap peas in spring.

Source: The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook (1999)

Ina Garten Grilled Lemon Chicken Salad

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Course: SaladCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy

Servings

6

servings

Prep time

20

minutes

Cooking timeminutes

Calories

380

kcal

Cold sliced chicken, crunchy snap peas and sweet peppers soak up a bright lemon vinaigrette in this chilled salad. The juices from the chicken mix right into the dressing, so every bite tastes lemony and fresh.

Ingredients

• 2 pounds Grilled Lemon Chicken
  

• 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (1 large lemon)
  

• 1/4 cup good olive oil
  

• 1 cup raw sugar snap peas, stems and strings removed
  

• 1/2 red bell pepper, julienned
  

• 1/2 yellow bell pepper, julienned
  

• 1 lemon, thinly sliced
  

• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  

• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  

Directions

• Chill the chicken: Grill the lemon chicken first, then chill it in the refrigerator until it is completely cold. Cold meat slices cleanly and keeps its juices.
• Slice the breasts: Slice the chilled breasts diagonally into 3/8-inch-thick slices. Keep any juices from the board to add to the salad.
• Toss the salad: Toss the chicken in a large bowl with 1/4 cup lemon juice, 1/4 cup olive oil, 1 cup sugar snap peas, the red and yellow bell peppers, the lemon slices, 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Add the chicken juices too, so they flavor the dressing.
• Taste and serve: Taste for seasoning and adjust the salt and pepper if needed. Then serve the salad cold or at room temperature.

Tools for this recipe

• Lodge 10.5-inch square cast iron grill pan, Victorinox Fibrox 8-inch chef's knife, Pyrex 3-piece glass mixing bowl set, Sugar In The Raw turbinado sugar, 2 lb. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

FAQs

Can I use bottled lemon juice?

I wouldn't, because freshly squeezed lemon juice is what gives this salad its bright flavor. One large lemon gives you the 1/4 cup you need, so it takes almost no extra effort.

Can I use asparagus instead of sugar snap peas?

Yes, in spring thin blanched asparagus works well in place of the snap peas. Keep the spears thin so they stay tender and don't overpower the chicken.

Can I make this salad ahead of time?

Yes, since it is served cold or at room temperature, it suits making ahead. Grill and chill the chicken in advance, then slice and toss everything shortly before serving so the peppers and peas stay crisp.

Can I cook the chicken without a grill?

A grill pan or a hot cast iron skillet gives you similar char and flavor. Cook the breasts until done through, then chill them before slicing.

What's the most common mistake with this salad?

Slicing the chicken while it is still warm is the usual problem, because it falls apart and loses juices. Chill it fully first, and the slices stay neat and moist.