Luckily, the days a salad meant lettuce, tomato and cucumber are long gone. This beautiful colourful and hearty salad is bursting with fresh and flavourful ingredients and is packed with nutrition and punch. The earthy taste of beets and the sweetness of butternut squash make a delicious combination and they are roasted with some pungent and aromatic oregano and a tad of olive oil. What’s more, no one will leave the table hungry thanks to the high protein chicken breasts and soft, delicate mozzarella that are added to the mix. And it’s all drizzled in a mouth-watering herb dressing.
Grilled Butternut Squash, Beetroot, Chicken & Mozzarella salad
[Serves 4]
FOR THE HERB DRESSING
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 50g toasted almonds, roughly chopped
- 25g Parmesan, grated
- 50g assorted micro herbs
- 1 cup olive oil
- Sea salt and black pepper
FOR THE SALAD
- 1 butternut squash, cut into wedges
- 8 baby beetroot bulbs, quartered
- Olive oil for drizzling
- Sea salt and black pepper
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 2 tsp dried oregano
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 4 chicken breasts, skin on, bone removed
- Sea salt and black pepper
- 120g watercress
- 2 balls mozzarella, torn
- Sea salt and black pepper
For the dressing:
- Mix together the garlic, almonds, Parmesan and micro herbs and whisk in the olive oil. Season.
- Preheat the oven to 180°C, place butternut squash and beetroot on an oven tray, drizzle with olive oil and season well. Mix together the lemon juice, oregano and olive oil; rub over chicken and season. Take two-three teaspoons of the dressing and push it under the chicken skin. Place the tray with the butternut squash and beetroot in the oven, roast for 25 minutes, remove and add the chicken breasts to the tray, then roast for an additional 10 minutes. Remove from oven; set aside.
- To assemble: Slice chicken breasts, divide butternut and beetroot between four plates, scatter over watercress, top with chicken and mozzarella, season and pour over remaining dressing.
Recipe words and image courtesy of Rex Features
