Chicken and Zucchini Salad

The chicken and zucchini salad is a light and nutritious dish, perfect for a summer lunch or as a one-dish meal. Here’s how to prepare it with an Italian twist.

Ingredients

• 2 chicken breasts
• 2 medium zucchini
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 1 clove of garlic
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Fresh basil (a few leaves)
• Parmesan or Parmesan cheese (flakes to taste)
• Toasted pine nuts (optional)

Preparation

1. Begin by grilling the chicken breasts. You could season them before cooking with a little salt, pepper, and perhaps a marinade of lemon and a drizzle of oil. Once cooked, let them cool down and then slice them into strips or cubes.
2. Wash the zucchini and cut them into thin rounds or sticks. Grill them on a hot plate until they are cooked but still crunchy, with a light smoky flavor. A pinch of salt and a drizzle of oil are enough to enhance their flavor.
3. Prepare an emulsion with extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and finely chopped garlic. This will be the dressing for your salad.
4. In a large bowl, mix the grilled chicken and zucchini, add the prepared emulsion and mix well to flavor all the ingredients.
5. Then add the hand-torn basil leaves (to prevent discoloration), Parmesan flakes, and if you like a crunch, a handful of pine nuts previously toasted in a pan.
6. Let it rest for a few minutes in the fridge before serving so that all the flavors blend well together.

Curiosity

Although the chicken salad is a relatively simple dish, the key to a delicious outcome lies in the quality of the ingredients and the grilling of the vegetables and chicken: good caramelization will give the dish depth of flavor and a pleasant texture.

Here you have it, a fresh and tasty chicken and zucchini salad with an Italian touch thanks to the basil and cheese!