Roasted Asparagus, Potato, and Chicken Salad on Greens
Chicken and Dumplings
Makes 4 servings
This hearty main dish could become a new family favorite. This scrumptious, thick stew can be served for a weeknight or company supper. Chicken and dumplings is a warming heritage meal from our ancestral past, revitalized here for easy preparation.
Chicken and roasted vegetables make this salad perfect for a light meal served with crusty artisan bread. No time to make the vinaigrette? Your favorite store-bought balsamic vinaigrette should work fine. Another timesaving tip: The asparagus and potatoes can be roasted ahead of time and refrigerated until ready to use. 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided 1 pound asparagus, trimmed and bottom inch of stem peeled 1 pound fingerling or baby new potatoes, quartered salt ground black pepper 4 handfuls baby salad greens 1¼ cups roast chicken breast, shredded 1 red or purple onion, thinly sliced, cut in half, and with rings separated 4 tablespoons crumbled bacon or finely diced ham Herb and Balsamic Vinaigrette ½ cup extra virgin olive oil 1½ tablespoons balsamic vinegar 1 tablespoon fresh herbs, such as basil, tarragon, and mint, chopped ¼ teaspoon sugar 1. Preheat oven to 400°F. 2. Pour 1 tablespoon oil on a baking sheet. Roll asparagus in oil and move to one end of pan. Toss potatoes in remaining 2 tablespoons oil, then spread out potatoes on pan for even cooking. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Bake until potatoes are just fork-tender, turning several times. Turn asparagus once while roasting and remove from oven before it blackens. Let vegetables cool. 3. Arrange salads among 4 plates, starting with greens. Divide asparagus, potatoes, chicken, onion, and bacon among plates and layer attractively. 4. For the vinaigrette: Mix all ingredients in a blender or vigorously with a whisk. Spoon over salads and serve.
Makes 6 servings
6 cups chicken broth 1 tablespoon dried onion flakes 1½ cups grated carrot 3 to 4 cups roast chicken, shredded ¾ cup flour, whisked into 1 cup cold water salt ground black pepper Herb Dumplings 2 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking powder ½ teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon thyme leaves 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons milk 2 tablespoons parsley flakes (optional) 1. In a large, wide-bottom, nonstick saucepan over mediumhigh heat, bring broth to a boil. Add onion flakes and carrots, and cook 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium and add chicken. Before liquid returns to a boil, slowly add flour mixture to thicken broth, stirring constantly. After about 1 minute of stirring, season with salt and pepper to taste. Simmer gently 3 to 4 minutes. 2. For the herb dumplings: In a small bowl, combine dry ingredients using a fork. Add milk and mix just until incorporated and all the flour has been moistened. Using a scoop to create uniform dumplings, spoon batter onto chicken gravy about 2 tablespoons at a time, spreading them out over surface. Sprinkle parsley over dumplings. 3. Cover and let dumplings cook and steam in gravy about 15 minutes (depending on size of dumplings), until cooked through. Every 5 minutes, stir gravy off bottom of pan to prevent sticking. Disturb dumplings as little as possible. Replace lid to continue steaming. 4. Use a fork to gently open a dumpling in center of pan and check for doneness. Continue cooking if needed and check again after 5 minutes. When test dumpling is dry and crumbly in middle, remove pan from heat. 5. Serve on deep plates or in soup bowls, with dumplings on bottom and gravy ladled over top.
Make it a Meal: Easy Accompaniments
1.
A Tri-Color Crunch Salad of shredded red cabbage tossed with thinly sliced carrots and celery dressed lightly in a saucy Catalina is a delicious start to a meal. Bonus: This is a great way to enlist the kids to help with dinner.
54 real food spring 2013
2.
For a hot-vegetable alternative, oven-roasted Brussels sprouts fit the bill. Halve, toss in olive oil and Parmesan, and bake at 425°F about 20 minutes, until beginning to brown on edges and the tip of a paring knife can easily pierce.
3.
A fruity dessert such as chocolate-dipped strawberries or slices of crunchy pear with Nutella will round out the food pyramid and provide a sweet ending to your roast chicken dinner.