When chicken salad is mentioned, most immediately think of some combination with manister and some creamy sauce. Such salads usually include grilled or fried chicken, usually pre-marinated in well-seasoned marinades. However, today we do not have such a recipe, but a traditional Mediterranean combination that could not be more Mediterranean. It is a boiled chicken fillet that is seasoned with a rich aromatic dressing. You may think that this is not a good idea for fear that the meat will be dry, but we have a great technique for cooking meat that will keep it perfectly juicy.
But before we discover how to cook a chicken fillet perfectly, let’s talk a little about the dressing. We have already said that it has a rich aroma, and consists of salted sardines, capers, olive oil and yeast. If you are among those who are skeptical about salted sardines in meat sauce, then we have to explain that they are not there to give the sauce a fishy taste. Namely, salted sardines are a recognizable spice of the poor kitchen because, unlike expensive spices, they were easily available. In addition, they really are an excellent spice that gives the dish, in addition to saltiness, depth of flavor and umami. You can use salted anchovies instead, and if your sardines are larger, reduce the quantity.
With their specific aroma, capers go well with the taste of chicken, and in addition, they give the dressing freshness and spiciness. In case you don’t have them on hand or don’t really like them, replace them with finely chopped pickles. As for the olive oil, it is important that you use good quality because, in addition to connecting the sauce, it also gives it an essential flavor component.
Let’s go back to cooking the meat. To prepare this salad, chicken fillet is used, cooked in one piece. In this way, you will get meat with a very mild aroma, ideal for combining with a sauce that is especially intense like this. Cooking the meat in pieces preserves its juiciness and texture, but you still need to know how to cook it. The right technique dictates that you put the meat in cold water, and when it boils, cook it for 8 minutes. These 8 minutes are enough for a fillet weighing up to 200 g, but if you have a heavier piece, you need to extend the time to up to 10 minutes, and just in case, after turning off the water, you can leave the meat in hot water for another 10 minutes. If you wish, you can add a bay leaf, a clove of garlic and some peppercorns to the water in which the meat is cooked.
Cooked meat must be cooled and seasoned. This is a cold meat salad, so it is ideal if you are looking for something that you can prepare in advance and take out of the fridge when needed, but can also be eaten right away. Maybe it’s best as an appetizer on some occasion, but why not eat it like this? Summer is really looking for dishes that can wait ready in the fridge so that with a little effort on side dishes, you can have a complete meal in no time. You can serve it with a piece of bread, boiled potatoes, and it is perfect with pome, cucumbers and peppers, a piece of young cheese or a boiled egg.
Chicken salad in Mediterranean dressing
Ingredients
500 g of chicken breast
5 fillets of salted sardines
3 tablespoons of olive oil
2 tablespoons of capers
1 tablespoon yeast
Preparation
Place the meat in cold water. When it boils, cook for another 8 minutes. If the pieces are larger than 200 g, cook them for 10 minutes. Strain the cooked meat and cut it into thin slices or cubes.
While the meat is cooking, prepare the sauce by finely chopping the salted sardines and capers and mixing them with olive oil and yeast into the sauce. Pour the sauce over the sliced meat and leave for half an hour for the meat to absorb the aroma.
