Roast Chicken Salad with Fresh Peaches

This is a perfect summer meal. We loved it and it's making it into my eat again and eat often stash.

• 2 1/2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 1/2 tablespoons minced shallots
• 2 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 1/2 teaspoons maple syrup
• 3/4 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 cups shredded skinless, boneless rotisserie chicken breast
• 2 cups sliced peeled peaches 
• 1/2 cup vertically sliced red onion
• 1/4 cup chopped pecans, toasted
• 1 (5-ounce) package gourmet salad greens 
• 2 tablespoons crumbled goat cheese

Preparation

1. 1. Combine first 8 ingredients; stir with a whisk.
2. 2. Combine chicken and remaining ingredients except cheese in a large bowl. Add vinegar mixture; toss gently. Sprinkle with cheese.

adapted from Cooking Light

Curried Chicken Salad

Every year, J's family gathers at this perfect cabin built more than 50 years ago on a lake in Utah. For a week, we eat, swim, lounge, talk, play, sleep, relax, and eat some more. When Jared's tall and svelte little sister, Bubba, made this recipe, I loved it. Then she reminded me that I'd given her the recipe a few weeks earlier. I'd love to take credit, but I cannot. I just happen to love Cook's Country. And that's where the recipe that we all chowed down came from. Here it is. I'm making it for this week in lunchtime sandwiches. Enjoy!

Ingredients

• 2/3 cup mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• 1 1/2 tablespoons curry powder (a good curry powder is at www.penzeys.com)
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
• 3 cups shredded cooked chicken
• 1 large rib celery, chopped fine
• 1/2 medium onion, chopped fine
• 1 cup fresh or canned diced pineapple
• 1/2 cup currants
• 1/2 cup pistachios, toasted and chopped
• Table salt
• optional: cut grapes (husband likes these)

Instructions

Mix mayonnaise, lime juice, curry powder, cumin, and coriander in bowl until combined. Toss chicken, celery, onion, pineapple, currants, and pistachios together in bowl. Add mayonnaise mixture and toss until coated. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve or cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days.

Salsa Verde and Creamy Tomatillo sauce

I'm going to give frozen chicken enchiladas a try and these are my two recipes to choose from for salsa verde.

Salsa Verde

Kosher salt
1 lb. tomatillos (about 15 medium), husked and rinsed
3 jalapeños, stemmed and halved lengthwise (seeded, if you like)
1 large yellow onion, half cut into 4 wedges, half chopped
1/3 cup roughly chopped fresh cilantro

Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Add the tomatillos, jalapeños, and onion wedges; cover and simmer until tender, about 10 minutes. Drain well and transfer to a blender along with 1/3 cup of the cilantro. Purée until just slightly chunky and season to taste with salt.



Creamy Tomatillo Sauce
 

1 lb. fresh tomatillos, husks and stems removed, rinsed
2 or 3 fresh serrano chiles, cored and seeded, or 1 canned chipotle pepper, seeded
4 slices white onion, each 1/4 inch thick
3 cloves garlic
2 Tbs. chopped fresh cilantro
2 Tbs. vegetable oil
3 cups chicken broth
3/4 cup crème fraîche or heavy cream
3/4 tsp. salt; more to taste

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Position a rack as close to the broiler as possible and heat the broiler. Arrange the tomatillos, fresh chiles (if using), onion slices, and garlic in a small, shallow baking pan. Broil, turning to ensure even cooking, until the tomatillos are soft and slightly blackened, about 10 minutes. Transfer the broiled ingredients to a blender and add the cilantro (if you’re using a canned chipotle, add it now, too). Blend until smooth.
Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the tomatillo mixture and cook, stirring, for 2 to 3 minutes. Add 2 cups of the broth and simmer until the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 20 minutes. Taste the sauce. It should be a little tart, but it shouldn’t make your mouth pucker. If it’s too tart, add more broth and simmer until the sauce thickens again. Remove from the heat and whisk in the crème fraîche or heavy cream and the salt. Let cool slightly before making the enchiladas.

Make Ahead Tips

The sauce can be made ahead and refrigerated for up to 2 days or frozen for up to a month.