The fresh one-dish meal to prepare in advance and easily take to work or the beach

This rich chicken salad is a light and colorful dish that can be served as an appetizer, a main course, or even a full meal, whether for the office or the beach. The grilled meat pairs perfectly with the vegetables and fruit we've chosen, but you can also substitute some of the ingredients with foods that better suit your tastes.

What to know before you start

In addition to chicken, for our hearty and nutritious salad we used radicchio and arugula, whose bitter aftertaste pairs perfectly with a sweetish ingredient we added: raisins. Gaeta olives, pink grapefruit, orange, and lemon also help balance the flavors.

Of course, we also added a bit of lettuce, otherwise what kind of salad would it be? The citrus flavor isn't overpowering, partly because the ingredients are balanced, and the Gaeta olives, with their bold flavor, help create a truly enjoyable sweet and sour aftertaste.

However, if you want to make the dish even tastier, we recommend marinating the meat for just ten minutes. Simply brush the chicken with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, a splash of orange juice, and a pinch of oregano or thyme. After cooking, don't cut it into strips immediately; instead, let it rest for 2-3 minutes, so that the juices can distribute evenly throughout the chicken.

Before you dive into the dough, here's another tip about raisins, especially if you're not a fan of them. When you soak them to soften them, add a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar. This clever trick helps tone down the sweetness a bit and enhances the tartness.

Ingredients

• 2 orange segments

Preparation

• Pour some warm water into a small bowl, adding a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar if desired, and soak the raisins for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, rinse the lettuce, radicchio, and arugula thoroughly. Remove the tough stems and pat dry with paper towels. Cut the leaves to your desired size and place them in a large bowl, then add all the other ingredients.
• Place the chicken breasts in a shallow dish, brushing them with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, a splash of orange juice, and a pinch of oregano or thyme. Heat a griddle pan and cook the meat until well browned. Remove from the heat and let rest for at least 3 minutes.
• Once the chicken breasts have rested, cut them into strips (or cubes, if you prefer). Then, peel the grapefruit, remove the pith from the segments, and halve them lengthwise. Repeat with the oranges.
• Drain the olives and add them to the same bowl as the salad. Add all the other ingredients and season with extra virgin olive oil, salt, pepper, and a little lemon juice. Serve, perhaps accompanied with croutons or toasted bread.

If you want to add a little extra crunch to this rich chicken salad, add some toasted pine nuts, slivered almonds, or some roughly chopped walnuts. To make it a balanced, nutritious, and wholesome dish, add a diced boiled potato or 50 grams of quinoa, barley, or spelt, pre-cooked and allowed to cool.

Alternatively, you can add cheeses. The tastiest options are crumbled Greek feta (use less salt in the salad), shavings of Parmigiano-Reggiano or Grana Padano, or fresh goat cheese.

This rich chicken salad can be stored in the refrigerator, in an airtight container, for up to three days. If you have any leftovers, consume them as soon as possible because over time, the ingredients, especially the citrus fruits, will release liquid, and the dish will lose its original consistency.

Serve the salad in bowls, layered with two slices of toasted bread or croutons. For a more elegant plating, create a bed of lettuce, arugula, and radicchio in the center of the plate and arrange the chicken strips on top. Alternate the orange and grapefruit segments, making them stand out against the green and purple of the leaves, while the olives and raisins are placed on top of the chicken.

The ideal pairing is a white wine with good acidity and fruity aromas, such as Vernaccia di San Gimignano DOCG. Alternatively, opt for a Vermentino, fresh and savory with a slightly almondy finish, or a Passerina or Pecorino.