Chicken Salad with Vermouth and Paprika
I am married to somebody who is deeply interested in plants. This is not an interest I share. Nor do plants seem interested in me.
Vita at Sissinghurst I am not.
Last weekend, John wisely accepted my advice and brought a plant whisperer to our yard.
The two of them went on a garden binge, returning with plants, pots, and related plantish items. Please don’t ask me for details. There were plants and their accessories. Soil was involved.
I hung back in the kitchen, producing lunch and cool drinks. Then dinner rolled around. It was hot, so I wasn’t inclined to do much beyond tossing chicken in a pan, then serving it over salad greens (thus saving dishwashing). The result was so good I share it here.
This is a nice summer recipe: simple, fast, and healthy without tasting overly virtuous. The dish works with either breast or thigh meat. Resist the urge to fancy it up with extra ingredients: simplicity is the goal.
Chicken Salad with Vermouth and Paprika
Serves 2-3. Easily scaled upward.
1-1/2 pounds/450-680 g boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large or two medium lemons, ideally Meyer, but not necessary
2-3 large garlic cloves, lightly crushed and peeled
6 tablespoons/1/3 cup dry Vermouth
1/2 teaspoon fennel seed, lightly crushed
1/2 teaspoon cumin seed, lightly crushed
1/4 teaspoon picante paprika (see notes)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
salad greens, to serve
You can prepare chicken salad with vermouth and paprika directly in the pan, or do it the more classy way. Both methods below.
Directly in the pan:
Pour olive oil into a large sauté pan. Add lemon juice and turn heat to low. Add garlic, chicken, and vermouth. Sprinkle fennel, cumin, paprika, salt, and pepper over the chicken.
Turn heat to medium and cover pan, cooking 4-5 minutes a side. Much will depend on the size of the chicken pieces: thighs cook faster than breasts.
Flip the pieces and put the lid back on, cooking another 4-5 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through. Slice into a piece if you aren’t sure.
The classy way:
Up to four hours before cooking, lay chicken pieces in a baking pan. Squeeze lemon over. Salt and pepper the poultry. Add the fennel, cumin, and paprika. Refrigerate if not cooking within one hour.
To cook the chicken, allow it to come to room temperature (unless your kitchen is extremely hot). Heat olive oil in pan over low heat. Add the Vermouth and garlic. Add contents of baking pan. Cook as above.
To serve: either serve the chicken, juices, and greens separately, as photographed, or set the chicken atop the greens and dress the dish with the cooking juices in the kitchen. Additional lemon slices are nice, as is bread, pita, or, completely out of register, tortillas.
Leftovers: store any leftover greens separately to avoid sog. I store leftover cooking juices with the chicken, to keep it moist. Refrigerate up to three days; chicken may be frozen up to three months. If you have copious extra juices, these freeze well, either with the chicken or separately. Use with another poultry dish, fish, or as an addition to a light broth. Also good if you are making chicken stock.
Notes: you can use sweet paprika if you prefer.
I don’t grind the spices, but you could if you wanted. Left whole, there aren’t enough to make the finished dish gritty.
As I was working on this blog, the great culinary writer and teacher Barbara Kafka passed away at age 84. She wrote wonderful books on soup, microwave cooking, and roasting. She will be missed. On Tuesday, Kate Spade ended her life. She was 55.
If you are in a bad space, in the US text @crisistextline at #741741 or call the Suicide Prevention Hotline at 800-273-8255 to speak with a live human. You are not alone, though you may be feeling that way.
Huge thanks to Julia Turshen, who shared this contact information on her Instagram: @turshen.
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