Chicken and Citrus Salad

In the midst of my TOUR-MANIA, who should roll through town but my man Floyd Landis.  He's on a book tour (go buy it…it's called Positively False) so we joined the mob and the local Borders.  What a smart, well-spoken dude, guilty only of performing the greatest one-day athletic feat in history. 

During his talk I was shocked to learn that the tour riders don't have personal team chefs that follow them and cook   nutritionally appropriate meals.  They eat whatever crap the hotels provide.  With that in mind, here's a healthy summer chicken salad.  It is refreshing and cool, with tons of vitamins, and protein to rebuild your depleted muscles after you bike over the col de galibier.   ( I just learned that some teams do have chefs...They covered the T-Mobile Chef during stage 20 of the 2007 Tour.  Sign me up!)

If the more unusual citrus fruits are nowhere to be found, it still tastes great with simple oranges.  You can pump up the color with the addition of some raspberries or pomegranate seeds.

INGREDIENTS

Juice and zest of 1 lime (about 1 TB. juice)

Juice and zest of 1 lemon (about 2 TB. juice)

[1/4] cup fresh mint, chopped

1 cup green onions, chopped

1 TB. poppy seeds

1 TB. honey

[1/2] tsp. kosher salt

[1/2] tsp. ground black pepper

[1/2] cup olive oil

3 cups cooked chicken breast, shredded

2 sweet oranges, peeled, and sliced in supremes

3 mandarins or tangerines, peeled, and sliced in supremes

1 ruby red grapefruit, peeled, and sliced in supremes

2 blood oranges, peeled, and sliced in supremes

METHOD

1.  In a large bowl mix together juice and zest of lime, juice and zest of lemon, mint, onions, poppy seeds, honey, salt and pepper.  Drizzle in oil while whisking.  Add chicken, oranges, mandarins, grapefruit, blood oranges, and toss to coat.  Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour to allow flavors to mingle.  Serve chilled.

PS…Hey Floyd.  I have knives, lots of nutritionally sound recipes, and a passport! 

 

 

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