Chicken Salad Lettuce Wraps

Happy Wednesday!  How is everyone’s day going so far?

Well, my day got off to a late start because of THIS

source

Whenever I order something from Amazon, I always feel obligated to spend the $25 so I can get free shipping.  So on my last purchase, I chose Project Runway Season 4 (aka the best season) as my filler.  This was a horrible decision because instead of doing anything productive this week I have just been watching Christian Siriano talk about his ferociousness.  Oh well.

I eventually pulled myself together and made my way downtown for an afternoon Pilates session with Lisa at the Pilatium.  (If you live in the New York area, I cannot recommend her enough!)  I am starting to work on the advanced exercises now, so it was a tough one, but I felt great afterwards 🙂

Soooo, tonight I wanted to share my recipe for chicken salad lettuce wraps.  My mom and I adapted this from a Giada recipe a few years ago, and I still make it today.  It is super fast and easy and makes a great light lunch or dinner.  It also holds up really well at room temperature, so it’s a perfect option for a picnic or hiking trip.

Chicken Salad Lettuce Wraps
(adapted from Giada De Laurentiis’s Italian Chicken Salad in Lettuce Cups)

About 3 cups shredded chicken (from 1 rotisserie chicken)
1 bell pepper, very thinly sliced (I use a little from a red, orange and yellow pepper to give the salad some color)
2 scallions, very thinly sliced
2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
Handful of sliced almonds
Classic 3-2-1 dressing (recipe below!)
Romaine lettuce leaves

Combine the chicken, peppers, scallions, parsley and almonds in a large bowl.  Add the dressing and toss well.  Serve in lettuce leaves!

Classic 3-2-1 dressing

1 tsp organic cane sugar
2 tsp white vinegar
3 tsp extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper

Wisk together for a delicious dressing!

Make it your own:
– Use butter lettuce instead of romaine
– Serve as a sandwich
– Mix with a cooked grain like quinoa or wheat berries

Family Traditions: Lemon Chicken

Hello friends!  How was everyone’s weekend?

Bob and I had a very relaxing two days off.  On Saturday, we went to the International Fine Art & Antique Dealers Show.  It was pretty wild.  My favorite exhibits were the arms and armour and the terrestrial globes.   Everything was outrageously expensive, and way out of my price range!, but it was fun to admire the pieces and do some people watching.  Fun stuff 🙂

Last night, I made one of my all-time favorite dinners.  It’s my mom’s lemon chicken and pasta, and you should make it tonight!

Here’s how you make it….

Start by dipping your chicken tenders in a mixture of flour, Parmesan cheese and freshly ground pepper.

Next, brown the tenders in a large skillet with a bit of olive oil.  Once browned, place lemon slices on top of the chicken.  Add the juice of one lemon and a splash of Sherry cooking wine (white wine works too!).  Cover and turn the heat down to low.  Simmer the chicken for about 15 minutes.  This is a foolproof way to get moist, flavorful chicken.

Meanwhile, cook your pasta to al dente (I used whole wheat spaghetti here, but angel hair is my favorite).  Drain and use the same pasta pot to make your sauce.  Start with a good amount (1/4 cup or so) of olive oil.  Add some minced garlic, and saute until fragrant.  Then toss is the zest and juice of one lemon.  Add in the cooked pasta and toss to coat.  Finish with salt and pepper to taste, and parsley for a little color.

I like to serve this dish with a cold glass of white wine and a sprinkle of fresh Parmesan cheese 🙂

What’s your favorite family recipe?