Recipe developer Christian Reynoso describes this elegant warm chicken salad as the “grown-up version of a deli-case chicken salad I used to serve up as a teen.” But where the chicken salad of his youth had grapes and too-sweet mayo, this one is filled with bursts of chewy dates, briny olives, toasted almonds, blanched Swiss chard, and a bright citrus vinaigrette to tie everything together. Feel free to get creative by swapping in different nuts and dried fruits for the almonds and dates. Reynoso likes this salad with a side of torn baguette or sourdough rolls for making little open-face sandwiches.
Recipe information
Yield
4 Servings
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Preheat oven to 350°. Toast almonds on a rimmed baking sheet, tossing once, until darkened slightly, 6–8 minutes. Let cool, then coarsely chop.
Step 2
Meanwhile, season chicken with salt; set aside. Remove ribs and stems from Swiss chard leaves. Tear leaves into 3" pieces. Cut thicker ends of stems on a diagonal into 1" pieces; discard thin ends.
Step 3
Combine shallot, lemon zest, lemon juice, vinegar, and cumin seeds in a large bowl; toss to coat. Season vinaigrette with salt.
Step 4
Heat 1 Tbsp. oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Cook chicken thighs, undisturbed, until golden brown underneath, about 5 minutes. Turn and cook until golden brown on other side and cooked through, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board; reserve skillet with pan juices. Let chicken rest 5 minutes, then cut into 1" pieces. Whisk pan juices and 4 Tbsp. oil into vinaigrette.
Step 5
Cook Swiss chard stems in a large pot of generously salted boiling water until slightly tender, about 2 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer stems to bowl with vinaigrette; toss well. Working in batches if needed, cook Swiss chard leaves until just wilted and bright green, 15–30 seconds. Drain leaves and let cool slightly. Squeeze out as much liquid as possible. Separate leaves and add to vinaigrette along with dates, olives, and chicken; toss well.
Step 6
Transfer salad to plates; drizzle with oil and top with almonds.
