Tarragon Chicken with Waldorf Salad

Tarragon Chicken with Waldorf Salad

  • Serves: 4
  • Prep Time: 00:25
  • Cooking Time: 00:08
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A refreshing twist to the classic Waldorf Salad with the addition of my tasty Tarragon Chicken and creamy tarragon dressing. This salad has a great combination of favours and textures. Perfect for a week-end meal or when a lighter dinner is required.

Ingredients

* Please click on the green icon next to the ingredients listed below for extra details and helpful information.

  • 600g chicken, tenderlions or breast cut into thick strips
  • Sea salt, pepper and dried tarragon leaves, for seasoning chicken
  • 1 Tbsp coconut oil, for cooking
  • 2 green apple(s), sliced very thinly
  • 2 Tbsp lemon juice, to coat the sliced apple
  • 160g mix of spinach leaves, and rocket
  • 2 celery stick(s), thinly sliced
  • 1 continental cucumber(s), cut into rough cubes
  • 2 avocado(s), cut into rough cubes
  • 1/2 punnet grape or cherry tomato(es), cut in half
  • 1/2 cup walnuts, roughly chopped (plus a few extra to sprinkle on top)
  • CREAMY TARRAGON DRESSING:
  • 3/4 cup homemade mayonnaise, or a store bought brand using good oils
  • 2 tsp dried tarragon leaves
  • 1 tsp garlic, minced

Directions

Heat a large frying pan on medium heat and add coconut oil. Place the chicken on a plate or tray and sprinkle top side with salt, pepper and tarragon. Place the chicken, seasoned side down into the hot pan. Sprinkle the raw side facing up in the pan with salt, pepper and tarragon. Cook for 4 minutes or until lightly brown and flip over. Cook second side for a further 3 - 4 minutes or until cooked through but still moist (cooking time will depend on the thickness of your chicken). Set aside to cool.

Halve the apples, remove the core and slice very thin. Place slices and lemon juice into a small bowl, toss gently to coat (this will prevent the apple going brown).

Make mayonnaise (Egg Mayonnaise recipe here) or purchase a Paleo brand using good quality oil. Mix 3/4 cup of mayonnaise, tarragon and garlic in a small bowl.

Place salad greens, celery, cucumber, avocado, tomatoes, apple and walnuts into a large salad bowl. Slice chicken and add to the salad. Toss gently to mix.

Divide the chicken salad between four individual bowls or plates and drizzle over the Creamy Tarragon dressing. Garnish by scattering a few extra walnuts over the salads.

chicken

Choose grass fed, free-range chicken and organic if available. Chicken is a meat that gets injected with hormones to plumb it up, shop carefully. A good source of protein.

tarragon leaves

Tarragon is a sweet pungent herb with a hint of anise. It goes well in dressings, sauces, poultry and fish dishes. Tarragon leaves can be used fresh or purchased dried. Tarragon herb is one of the highest antioxidant food sources and helps lower blood sugars. It's excellent as a digestive tonic, helping the liver produce bile. It is rich in Vitamins C, A and B, and an excellent source of minerals like, calcium, manganese, iron, magnesium, copper, potassium and zinc.

coconut oil

Coconut oil is one of the most nutritious fats to cook and bake with. Use organic extra-virgin coconut oil which is unrefined and unbleached from non GMO coconuts. Coconut oil has a high smoking point and it is slow to oxidize due to its high saturated fat content, thus, resistant to going rancid. Some studies suggest coconut oil helps with digestion, including irritable bowel, tummy bugs, candida and parasites due to this oil containing short term medium-chain saturated fatty acids (MCFAs), which is a healthy form of saturated fat.

apple(s)

Apples can be eaten fresh, cooked or dried, they are low in kilojoules and are a good source of vitamin C, which makes them a good choice for a healthy snack. When using fresh sliced apple, the surface will go brown as oxygen from the air reacts with an enzyme in the apple flesh. This reaction can be stopped by cooking the apple or brushing with lemon juice, drying the apple slices will also kill the enzyme. Apples are high in fibre, including soluble fibre. Packed with numerous phytochemicals such as quercetin that is know to help prevent heart disease and cancer. Purchase organic if possible, apples should always be washed before eating, if they have been waxed it's best to peel them as it will prevent pesticide residues from being washed off.

lemon juice

Use freshly squeezed lemon juice. Most store bought lemon juice containers preservatives.

spinach leaves

I use English baby spinach leaves in my recipes. This more modern variety of spinach is more tender than older varieties and has small flat leaves. They can be eaten raw or lightly cooked. Spinach is a powerhouse food, it contains vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and phytonutrients. Spinach is low in carbs but high in insoluble fibre and may improve eye health, and help prevent heart disease and cancer.

celery stick(s)

Both celery stalks and leaves can be used, whole stalks are eaten raw in salads or cooked to give flavour in stews and soups. Raw stalks with the leaves are excellent in your morning smoothie and give you a good dose of vitamin K, B and A, folate, riboflavin and more, plus celery contains several minerals.

cucumber(s)

Cucumbers grow on a creeping vine and come in several varieties. Some varieties have a tender skin and can be eaten without peeling. Cucumbers are eaten in salads, as a vessel to scoop up dips, grated in yoghurt dressings to eat with hot and spicy dishes and the smaller varieties are perfect to pickle. Cucumbers are mainly water (a 100 gram serve of raw cucumber is 95% water).

avocado(s)

It is often mistaken for a vegetable, the avocado is a fruit. It has a rich buttery flavour and smooth texture. Avocados are a good source of healthy fats, vitamin C, E and B6, potassium and dietary fibre, also useful amounts of iron magnesium and folate.

tomato(es)

The tomato is a fruit but is much lower in sugar content than other fruits so it is typically eaten raw in salads and cooked in many dish and sauces from around the world. The tomato belongs to the nightshade family. Tomatoes contain carotene lycopene, one of the most powerful natural antioxidants.

walnuts

Walnut kernels or meat are enclosed in a rounded hard shell. Walnuts not only taste great but are a rich source of heart-healthy monounsaturated fats and an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids. Walnuts contain several minerals, especially high in manganese, vitamin E and B vitamins. Walnuts are also known for their rare and valuable antioxidant and anti-inflammatory nutrients. Store walnut kernels in the fridge or freezer, as they are susceptible to insect and fungal mold infestations.

mayonnaise

A basic egg mayonnaise can be used as a base to make sauces and dressing. Use a mild flavoured healthy oil when making mayonnaise. My Egg Mayonnaise recipe can be found here or on page 207 of 'The JOYful Table' cookbook.

tarragon leaves

Tarragon is a sweet pungent herb with a hint of anise. It goes well in dressings, sauces, poultry and fish dishes. Tarragon leaves can be used fresh or purchased dried. Tarragon herb is one of the highest antioxidant food sources and helps lower blood sugars. It's excellent as a digestive tonic, helping the liver produce bile. It is rich in Vitamins C, A and B, and an excellent source of minerals like, calcium, manganese, iron, magnesium, copper, potassium and zinc.

garlic

Garlic is a close relative to the onion and has been used throughout history for both medicinal and culinary purposes. In most of my recipes I use minced garlic as I find it distributes better throughout the dish. When in a hurry I use organic minced garlic which I purchase in glass jars and store in the fridge. When garlic powder is needed for a particular recipe, I use 'Simply Organic' brand. Why is garlic so good for us? It is an immune booster, antibiotic, good for the heart, cancer fighter and it's also knew as a weight loss aid (appetite suppressant).