Broccoli and Chicken Salad

Cooking method

1. Step 1:

   

   How do you make broccoli and chicken salad? It's very simple. Start by gathering the ingredients. Use any tomatoes — regular, plum, or cherry. Feel free to add to or swap the vegetables to taste.

2. Step 2:

   

   Rinse and dry the chicken breast. Season with salt and pepper, and add any other spices you like.

3. Step 3:

   

   Heat the vegetable oil in a skillet over high heat and fry the breast 3–4 minutes per side, until golden. The exact time depends on the size of your breast and the heat level.

4. Step 4:

   

   Let the cooked breast cool, then cut it into thin slices. Instead of frying, you can boil it or bake it in foil. You can also use smoked chicken in place of fresh.

5. Step 5:

   

   Boil the broccoli in boiling salted water for about 10 minutes, until tender. The exact time depends on the size of the florets and the heat. Use fresh or frozen broccoli; if frozen, there's no need to thaw it first.

6. Step 6:

   

   Drain the broccoli in a colander. If the florets are large, break them into smaller ones.

7. Step 7:

   

   Wash and dry the tomatoes and cut them into wedges. Choose juicy but firm tomatoes — soft ones don't hold their shape and turn to mush when you cut and toss them, spoiling the look of the dish.

8. Step 8:

   

   Rinse and dry the lettuce leaves well. You can use a ready-made salad mix instead of leaf lettuce.

9. Step 9:

   

   In a bowl, combine the chicken, tomatoes, broccoli, and the pressed garlic. Season with salt and pepper and toss gently, taking care not to crush the tomatoes.

10. Step 10:

    

    Line a plate or platter with fresh lettuce leaves. Pile the fried chicken, tomatoes, and garlicky broccoli on top.

11. Step 11:

    

    Drizzle mayonnaise over the top. I used a piping bag to make a pretty thin web of mayonnaise. Alternatively, you can toss the ingredients with the mayonnaise right in the bowl (step 9), then arrange everything on the lettuce. Serve the salad right away. Enjoy!