Chicken & White Bean Salad

By á-1025

Ingredients

• Vinaigrette
• 1 medium clove garlic
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 6 tablespoons fresh orange juice, plus more to taste
• 1/4 cup white-wine vinegar or red-wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• Salad
• 1 15-ounce can cannellini or other white beans, rinsed and drained
• 2 1/2 cups diced cooked chicken breast
• 2 cups diced zucchini and/or summer squash [about 2 small]
• 1 1/2 cups diced celery
• 1/4 cup finely diced ricotta salata, halloumi or feta cheese
• 1/3 cup chopped, well-drained, oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes [optional]
• 1 cup coarsely chopped fresh basil, plus whole basil leaves for garnish
• Salt & freshly ground pepper to taste [optional]
• 2 cups torn escarole or romaine lettuce
• 2 cups torn radicchio leaves

Preparation

Step 1

1. To prepare vinaigrette: Peel the garlic and smash with the side of a chef’s knife. Using a fork, mash the garlic with 1/4 teaspoon salt in a small bowl to form a coarse paste. Whisk in 5 tablespoons oil. Add 6 tablespoons orange juice, vinegar and mustard; whisk until well blended. Taste and whisk in up to 4 tablespoons more juice to mellow the flavor; season with more salt, if desired. Set aside at room temperature.
2. To prepare salad: Combine beans, chicken, zucchini , celery, cheese and sun-dried tomatoes in a large bowl until well blended. Add chopped basil and 3/4 cup vinaigrette; toss until combined. Taste and season with salt and/or pepper, if desired.
3. Toss the remaining vinaigrette with escarole [or romaine] and radicchio in a medium bowl. Serve the salad on the greens, garnished with fresh basil leaves.