We have been making this seared chicken salad regularly for years whenever we need something satisfying on the table quickly. The trick is in the dressing: first emulsify the yoghurt, oil and vinegar, then add the water. Add the water too early and you get a watery sauce instead of a creamy emulsion.
This salad is a complete meal. Iceberg lettuce and romaine heart form the base, peppers and spring onions add freshness, carrots and fennel bring sweetness. The seared chicken provides the protein and the dressing ties everything together.
Chicken Salad with Seared Chicken Breast (Thermomix®)
Ingredients 0 / 19 ✓
- 300 g carrots
- 20 g fennel bulb
- 20 g olive oil
- 300 g chicken breast fillet
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 tsp sweet paprika
- 1/2 iceberg lettuce
- 1 romaine lettuce heart
- 2 peppers colour of your choice
- 2 spring onions
- 30 g olive oil
- 20 g white balsamic vinegar
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp sugar
- 1 pinch curry powder
- 150 g Greek yoghurt (10% fat)
- 2 tsp medium-hot mustard
- 2 tsp dill frozen
- 50 g water
Instructions 0 / 9
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1
Wash the carrots, peel them, remove the tops, cut into batons (approx. 1/2 x 3 cm) and place in the mixing bowl.
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2
Wash the fennel, slice it and add to the mixing bowl. Add 10 g oil to the mixing bowl and steam for 3 min / Varoma / reverse direction / speed 1 without the measuring cup in the mixing bowl lid, then set aside.
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3
Meanwhile, cut the chicken breast fillet into strips and sear in a frying pan with 10 g olive oil, salt and paprika.
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4
Wash the iceberg lettuce, tear or cut into bite-sized pieces and place in a salad bowl.
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5
Wash the romaine lettuce heart, tear into pieces and add to the salad bowl.
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6
Wash the peppers, halve them, remove the seeds and stalks, cut into strips and add to the salad bowl.
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7
Wash the spring onions, cut into rings and add to the salad bowl.
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8
Add the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt, sugar, curry powder, yoghurt, mustard, dill and water to the mixing bowl and mix for 5 sec / speed 4.
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9
Pour the dressing over the salad, toss well, divide among plates, add the chicken on top and serve.
Tip: Fresh baguette or small wholemeal rolls go really well alongside this salad.
Video
Nutrition per serving
Why we steam the carrots and fennel in the Thermomix®
Raw, both are too firm and overpower the salad. We steam them for 3 minutes at Varoma with reverse direction at speed 1. The reverse direction is key: the slices should soften, not break apart. Normal speed 1 without reverse direction would tear the delicate fennel slices.
Cut the carrot batons to 1/2 x 3 cm. Larger and they will still be too firm after 3 minutes. Smaller and they turn mushy. Slice the fennel thinly so it cooks through at the same time as the carrots.
Searing the chicken while the Thermomix® runs
While the carrots and fennel are steaming, sear the chicken in a frying pan. This saves 10 minutes. Cut the fillets into strips, season with salt and paprika, sear in 10 g of olive oil on both sides over high heat, then reduce to a medium heat until cooked through.
Sweet paprika gives colour and a gentle smoky note. Hot paprika would make the salad too dominant. The chicken must be cooked through completely but should not dry out. Juicy inside, lightly browned on the outside.
The salad base: iceberg plus romaine heart
Iceberg lettuce on its own would be too watery and too mild. The romaine heart (Mini Romana or Lollo Bianco) adds structure and a slightly nutty flavour. The combination makes the difference: the iceberg provides the volume, the romaine heart the texture.
Tear the iceberg lettuce rather than cutting it. Tearing prevents the cut surfaces from browning. The romaine heart can be torn or roughly chopped and stays fresh longer than the iceberg.
Peppers and spring onions: the freshness layer
2 peppers cut into strips, 2 spring onions cut into rings. The colour of the peppers does not matter. We usually use one red and one yellow for contrast. Green peppers are more bitter, which does not suit the mild dressing.
Spring onions add a gentle bite without overpowering the salad. Regular onions would be too dominant. Chives too weak. Spring onions are the middle ground.
Dressing emulsion: bind first, then thin
The dressing has two phases: the fat phase (olive oil, yoghurt) and the acid phase (balsamic vinegar, mustard). The 50 g of water goes in last. The Thermomix® emulsifies everything in 5 seconds at speed 4. Add the water too early and you will not get a stable emulsion. The dressing will separate after 10 minutes.
Greek yoghurt with 10% fat is essential. Low-fat yoghurt makes the dressing too thin. Cream yoghurt makes it too heavy. The medium-hot mustard binds and adds a light kick. Dill (frozen) pairs well with the yoghurt and brings a fresh note without any herb dominance.
White balsamic vinegar rather than dark, because dark vinegar discolours the salad. The pinch of curry is subtle but adds depth that a classic yoghurt dressing does not have. Without curry, the dressing tastes flat.
Serving: add the dressing last, not too early
Pour the dressing over the salad just before serving. If the salad sits with dressing for more than 5 minutes, it turns soggy. Iceberg lettuce draws out water as soon as it comes into contact with acid.
Divide the salad among plates and lay the chicken on top. If you mix the chicken through, you will not distribute it evenly. Placing it on top looks better and everyone gets an equal amount of meat.
Bread on the side
Fresh baguette or small wholemeal rolls go well alongside this salad. The bread soaks up the excess dressing without making the salad soggy. Without bread, dressing often pools at the edge of the plate.
More Thermomix® salad recipes:
Goes well with: Baguette, herb butter and Bruschetta.
- Coleslaw Thermomix®
- Potato Salad Thermomix®
- Pasta Salad Thermomix®
