Warm Chicken Salad with Eggplant and Tomatoes

Cooking method

1. Step 1:

   

   How do you make a warm chicken salad? Since this salad is served warm, make the dressing ahead of time. It starts with honey and olive oil as the base, and everything else is up to you. I use balsamic vinegar, salt, and ground black pepper. You can swap the balsamic for lemon or lime juice, or trade the salt for a pinch of dried Provençal or Italian herbs. The main thing is that you like how the dressing tastes.

2. Step 2:

   

   Combine the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, honey, and ground black pepper. Whisk everything together thoroughly with a whisk or fork until smooth and emulsified.

3. Step 3:

   

   Now you can move on to the salad itself. For this recipe, choose small but firm tomatoes so they hold their shape through every step — plum or cherry tomatoes work great. You can swap the feta for any other cheese: mozzarella, farmer's cheese, or a soft cream cheese.

4. Step 4:

   

   Rinse the chicken breast and pat it dry. Brush it with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and sprinkle all over with spices.

5. Step 5:

   

   Wrap the chicken in foil and bake at 350°F (180°C) for about 30 minutes, until cooked through. Leave the chicken in the turned-off oven as it cools, since it should still be warm when you serve it. Instead of baking, you can also poach or pan-fry the chicken.

6. Step 6:

   

   While the chicken bakes, rinse the tomatoes, pat them dry, and cut them into slices or rounds.

7. Step 7:

   

   Rinse the eggplant, pat it dry, and cut it into medium slices as well.

8. Step 8:

   

   Rinse the parsley and basil, pat them dry, and chop finely.

9. Step 9:

   

   Heat the remaining olive oil in a skillet and fry the eggplant, stirring occasionally, until golden brown.

10. Step 10:

    

    Add the tomatoes to the skillet with the eggplant and warm everything together for 1 minute.

11. Step 11:

    

    Take the warm chicken out of the foil and cut it into thin slices.

12. Step 12:

    

    Arrange lettuce leaves on a platter, tossed together with the tomatoes, eggplant, and chicken. Crumble the feta over the top. Drizzle the dressing over the salad and serve. Enjoy!