Annemarie Ahearn’s Hearty Winter Salad Recipe

This salad is a complete meal, packed with protein and full of diverse flavors.

Hearty winter salad recipe
By Annemarie Ahearn
Photographed by Benjamin Williamson
From our December 2018 issue

The medley of chicken, eggs, potatoes, and greens should satisfy any appetite after a day spent out in the cold.

Serves 4

For the Dressing

1 clove garlic
kosher salt
1 lemon, zested and juiced
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
½ cup plain yogurt or crème fraîche
1 small bunch of chives, minced
4 tablespoons olive oil
freshly ground pepper

With mortar and pestle (or blender), grind garlic with a pinch of salt. Add lemon juice and zest, mustard, yogurt, and chives and mix or blend to combine. Add olive oil. Mix or blend, and season to taste with salt and pepper.

For the Salad

2 small or 1 large chicken breast, skin on
kosher salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
8 small yellow or red potatoes, halved
2 eggs
1 pound green beans, root ends removed
1 head red leaf lettuce
1 avocado
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1 cup slivered almonds

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Season chicken with salt. Heat olive oil in a cast-iron frying pan over medium-high heat and place chicken skin side down in the pan. Let skin turn golden brown and crispy, 5–6 minutes. Flip chicken and place pan in the oven for 3–4 minutes. Once done, the chicken should feel firm to the touch. Remove from pan and let rest on cutting board.

Fill a large pot with water and salt generously (about 2 tablespoons salt per gallon water). Add potatoes and eggs. Bring to boil. Cook potatoes until fork-tender. Eggs should cook in the same amount of time. Remove potatoes with a slotted spoon and toss with a small amount of dressing. Remove and peel eggs. Cut into halves. Add green beans to water and cook until just tender. Remove to an ice bath to prevent further cooking. Toss with a small amount of dressing.

Wash lettuce and tear it into bite-size pieces. Dry thoroughly. Place leaves in a big bowl and season with salt. Toss with a couple of teaspoons of dressing. Cut avocado in half and remove the pit. Cut the flesh into strips, then use a spoon to remove it from the skin. Toss with a small amount of dressing. Toss cherry tomatoes with a small amount of dressing.

Cut chicken breast into ½-inch slices. Mound lettuce leaves on a large serving platter. Scatter chicken, eggs, green beans, avocado, tomatoes, and almonds over top. Drizzle with dressing and serve.


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Down East magazine, December 2018