Talk about your underappreciated vegetables: Fresh red- leaf lettuce is the wallflower of the farmers market, perpetually forgotten behind all those sexy squash blossoms and plump tomatoes.
But this backbone of the lettuce family is rich in vitamins A and K. It has almost no calories, and when it’s fresh off the farm, nothing tastes more like summer.
In this recipe from Fine Cooking magazine, red-leaf lettuce is paired with red cabbage for extra nutritional punch, lean chicken breast for protein, and blue cheese for a flavor boost. It’s an easy, affordable, nutritious family meal you might want to double — pile this on a sandwich the next day for a second round.
To find fresh lettuce in your area, track down a local farmers market at .
Red Leaf & Cabbage Salad With Grilled Tarragon Chicken
From “Fine Cooking Fresh & Quick.” Visit for more. It’s important to cook the chicken over moderate heat. If the grill is too hot, the honey in the glaze will burn. Recipe by Eva Katz. Serves 4.
Ingredients
1 head red-leaf lettuce, washed, dried and torn into bite-size pieces (about 10 cups)
1 cup shredded red cabbage (about 1/4small head)
2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar
5 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon Dijon-style mustard
1 tablespoons honey
1 large shallot, finely chopped
1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 ounces crumbled blue cheese ( 3/4cup)
1/2 cup toasted slivered almonds
Directions
Heat a gas grill to medium. Put the lettuce and cabbage in a large bowl, cover with a damp paper towel and refrigerate. In a small bowl, whisk the vinegar with 2 tablespoons of the tarragon, 1 teaspoon of the mustard, 1 teaspoon of the honey, and the shallot. Whisk in 1/3 cup of the oil and season with salt and pepper.
Remove the tenderloins from the chicken breasts and reserve for another use. Put the chicken in a medium bowl and season with salt and a generous amount of pepper. In a small bowl, whisk the remaining 3 tablespoons tarragon, 2 tablespoons mustard, 2 teaspoons honey and 1 tablespoon oil until well combined. Spread this mixture all over the chicken.
Put the chicken on the grill, cover and cook the chicken on one side until grill marks appear, 5 to 6 minutes. Flip the chicken over, cover and continue to cook until the chicken is cooked through, firm and golden brown all over, another 4 to 6 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a clean cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes. Slice the chicken crosswise on an angle into 1/2-inch slices.
Toss the greens with just enough of the dressing to coat well. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Portion the greens among four plates. Arrange the sliced chicken on and around the greens and drizzle with a little of the remaining dressing. Sprinkle with the blue cheese and almonds and serve.
Nutrition information (per serving, based on four servings): calories (kcal): 477; fat (g): 38; fat calories (kcal): 340; saturated fat (g): 8; protein (g): 23; monounsaturated fat (g): 24; carbohydrates (g): 13; polyunsaturated fat (g): 4; sodium (mg): 855; cholesterol (mg): 52; fiber (g): 3.
