This easy-to-assemble salad is the perfect weeknight meal for when you’re craving something a little bit lighter. Its blend of peppery arugula and salty parmesan cheese pairs so well with the acidity of halved cherry or grape tomatoes and a sweet, creamy, and flavorful chicken salad made with a fresh basil dressing.
I’m not the kind of person that is easily inspired by others. Just because a person is intelligent, has great leadership skills, or has done something in their lives worthy of note, that’s no real reason for me to fawn all over them and worship the ground they walk upon. I can pretty much guarantee, that you most likely won’t ever find me mooning over a political leader, sports legend, activist, or scientist. I can appreciate that someone is trying to leave their mark on this world and make it a better place without bowing down before them, kissing their feet, and claiming my undying love for them.
So when it came to picking a recipe for this Sunday Funday’s “Inspirational Women in History” theme, I obviously had some long and deep late-night discussions with myself about who I could possibly be inspired enough by to develop a recipe for. There were a few amazing women that came to mind, however, in the end, even though I find them to be fascinating, thought-provoking, creative, and world-changing women, I decided that when they immediately came to mind, the word inspiring wasn’t really a word that I would use to describe them.
In the end, I chose a woman who inspired me to read as a young child. Peggy Parish, the author of “Amelia Bedelia.” I can’t think of any greater gift to give a child than the gift of reading. And for me, a child who lived in the country with no real nearby friends to play with, books were always a way for me to travel to other places and meet new friends, even if those places and friends were just imaginary. And imaginary or not, I considered Amelia Bedelia to be one of my best friends growing up. Her literal interpretations of the English language never failed to amuse me.
Any literary character that dresses a chicken in clothing because their employer asked them to “dress the chicken,” is a character that was bound to become one that I would instantly want to become friends with. And the fact that Amelia Bedelia’s character was inspired by the vocabulary mishaps of Peggy Parish’s own students when she was a teacher, only made me fall even harder in love with this book series. For inspiring me to read as a young child, I say, “Thank you, Peggy Parish. Thank you, and please enjoy my own unique version of a dressed chicken. It’s not quite as whimsical as Amelia Bedelia’s, however, it is rather tasty.”
Ingredients:
- 1/3 Cup Mayonnaise
- 1 Cup Fresh Basil Leaves (Approximately 1.25 Ounces)
- 1 Tablespoon Honey
- 1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice
- 2 Teaspoons of Dijon Mustard
- 1/2 Teaspoon Freshly Ground Black Pepper (Additional for Serving)
- 2 Cups of Chopped or Shredded Chicken (Approximately 1.25 Pounds)
- Arugula
- Grape or Cherry Tomatoes, Halved
- Shaved Parmesan Cheese
Directions:
- Purée the mayonnaise, basil, honey, lemon juice, mustard, and pepper in a blender or food processor until smooth.
- Pour the dressing over the chopped or shredded chicken and stir well to combine.
- Line four salad plates with arugula. Divide the chicken salad equally amongst each salad plate. Garnish the salads with halved tomatoes and shaved parmesan cheese. Sprinkle a bit of freshly ground black pepper over each salad before serving.
Suggestions:
- You can use any type of chicken you choose for this recipe; grilled, poached, or roasted. For a quick weeknight meal, I suggest using a store-bought rotisserie chicken. You can either chop or shred the chicken and use either white meat or dark meat.
- I used arugula for this recipe for its peppery flavor. It pairs well with the saltiness of the parmesan cheese, the acidity of the tomatoes, and the sweetness of the basil dressing.
- You’ll notice that I don’t list how much arugula, how many tomatoes, or how much parmesan cheese you will need for this recipe. It’s up to you to decide how large or small you would like your salad to be. When in doubt, always add more cheese. That’s my motto.
- Speaking of cheese. I highly suggest you shred your own parmesan cheese for this recipe. Use a vegetable peeler to gently peel long shreds of cheese to top the salads with.
Improvements:
- When you purée the dressing, add a few tablespoons of pine nuts or walnuts.
- For added texture, garnish with a few pumpkin or sunflower seeds.
- Looking for more great salad recipes? Try this Fennel & Tomato Italian Vinaigrette Salad, this Tangy Chickpea & English Cucumber Salad, or this Toasted Goat Cheese & Pecan Salad.
Ingredients:
- 1/3 Cup Mayonnaise
- 1 Cup Fresh Basil Leaves (Approximately 1.25 Ounces)
- 1 Tablespoon Honey
- 1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice
- 2 Teaspoons of Dijon Mustard
- 1/2 Teaspoon Freshly Ground Black Pepper (Additional for Serving)
- 2 Cups of Chopped or Shredded Chicken (Approximately 1.25 Pounds)
- Arugula
- Grape or Cherry Tomatoes, Halved
- Shaved Parmesan Cheese
Directions:
- Purée the mayonnaise, basil, honey, lemon juice, mustard, and pepper in a blender or food processor until smooth.
- Pour the dressing over the chopped or shredded chicken and stir well to combine.
- Line four salad plates with arugula. Divide the chicken salad equally amongst each salad plate. Garnish the salads with halved tomatoes and shaved parmesan cheese. Sprinkle a bit of freshly ground black pepper over each salad before serving.
PIN THIS RECIPE
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Make sure to check out all of the other great Sunday Funday “Recipes from Inspirational Women in History” below. A huge thanks to Food Lust People Love for hosting this event.
- Basil-Dressed Chicken Salad with Tomatoes from Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck Survive Despite a Whiskered Accomplice
- Drumstick Curry in Coconut Sauce – No Onion No Garlic from Sneha’s Recipe
- Irio, Kenyan Style from Mayuri’s Jikoni
- Philly Cheesesteak from Amy’s Cooking Adventures
- Rosalynn Carter’s Baked Cheese Grits from Food Lust People Love
