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Green Goddess Grilled Chicken Salad

Source of Recipe


From "The Herbfarm Cookbook" by Jerry Traunfeld






List of Ingredients



• 2 cups Green Goddess Dressing (recipe follows)
  
• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1-1/2 lbs.)
  
• 1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
  
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
  
• 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
  
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
  
• 6 cups young salad greens, or use commercial mesclun mix (sometimes called field salad or spring mix)
  
• 1 ripe avocado, quartered, peeled and sliced
  
• 2 medium vine-ripe tomatoes, cut into 8 wedges each
  
• Optional garnish: tarragon sprigs, snipped chives, or edible flowers (such as mustard, arugula, scarlet runner bean, or nasturtium)
  






Instructions



1. Prepare the dressing as much as two days ahead and store, tightly covered, in the refrigerator.
   
   
2. Start a charcoal fire in an outdoor grill or preheat a gas grill to medium-high. In a mixing bowl, toss the chicken breasts with the oil, garlic, mustard, salt and pepper. Adjust the grill rack 4 inches from the fire. When the charcoal is ashed over and medium-hot or the gas grill is preheated, lay the chicken on the grill and cook, uncovered, until the underside is well marked, about 4 minutes. Turn and cook the other side until the chicken is firm to the touch and no pink remains when you peek at the center with the tip of a knife, 4 to 6 minutes. (The chicken breasts can also be broiled in the same manner.) Let the chicken cool slightly while preparing the greens.
   
   
3. Wash the salad greens by swishing them in a deep basin of cold water. Lift them from the water and spin dry or pat dry in a clean towel. In a large mixing bowl, toss the salad greens with 1/2 cup of the dressing until they are well coated. Divide the greens among 4 dinner plates. With a thin-bladed knife, slice the chicken breasts 1/4-inch thick on a diagonal. Arrange the slices of chicken on top of the greens in a fan shape and arrange the avocado and tomatoes beside it. Spoon additional dressing in a band across the chicken. Garnish, if desired, with tarragon, chives, or edible flowers. Serve the salads right away. Pass the remaining dressing at the table.
   
   Makes 4 servings.
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   GREEN GODDESS DRESSING
   
   3/4 cup (gently packed) fresh French tarragon leaves
   3/4 cup snipped fresh chives
   3/4 cup (gently packed) fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
   6 anchovy fillets
   1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
   1/2 tsp salt
   6 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
   3/4 cup sour cream, plain whole milk, or lowfat yogurt
   Freshly ground black pepper to taste
   
   Purée the herbs, anchovies, lemon juice and salt in a blender or food processor. With the machine running, add the oil in a slow stream. Scrape down the sides. Add the sour cream and pepper; process until smooth. Store, tightly covered, in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.