In the spirit of my intention to make food in bulk, I decided to make this chickenΒ antipasto salad which makes a huge bowl. It’s great because it can be made ahead of time and does not need to be served hot to be delicious. It tastes even better than those antipasto salads you often find at Italian delis. We enjoyed it last night for dinner (after hibernating in -2 degree weather all day!) and I can’t wait to eat the leftovers for lunch for the rest of the week. The sun was setting right as I snapped this photo so I apologize for the bad light but couldn’t resist sharing the recipe with you!
Chicken Antipasto Salad
Serves 6-8
Adapted from Make Ahead Paleo by Tammy Credicott
Dressing Ingredients
- 2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice (about 1 Β½ lemons)
- 2 Tbsp. minced shallot
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
- 1 ΒΌ tsp. Italian or mixed herb seasoning
- 1 tsp. granulated garlic
- 2 tsp. honey or sugar
- Β½ tsp. sea salt
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Salad Ingredients
- 1 whole roasting chicken, cooked in slow cooker on high for 2 Β½ – 3 hours, cooled, skinned, and shredded (or substitute 2 cups diced grilled chicken or shredded rotisserie chicken)
- 1 head raw cauliflower, cored and chopped into small pieces
- 1 12-oz. jar (about 1 Β½ cups) pitted kalamata olives, chopped
- 2 14-oz. cans artichoke hearts in water, drained and excess water squeezed out with paper towel, chopped
- 1 cup sundried tomatoes, julienne-cut (you can often find these in the deli section)
- 6-8 oz. salami, sliced into wedges (I like Applegate salami)
- 6 oz. feta cheese, crumbled
- 3 Tbsp. chopped fresh basil
- 3 Tbsp. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
- To cook the chicken, place the entire whole chicken into the slow cooker and cook on high for 2 Β½ to 3 hours or until cooked through. Set aside until cool enough to handle. Remove skin and shred meat with your hands or a fork. (Alternatively, you can use chopped grilled chicken or shredded rotisserie chicken from the deli.)
- In a medium bowl, combine the dressing ingredients. Stir vigorously with a fork.
- In a large bowl, combine the salad ingredients.
- Pour the dressing over the salad, and toss to coat. Season to taste with fresh ground pepper.
- Cover the salad, and refrigerate it until needed.
Β xoxo,
