All, Recipes, Salads

Lemony Chicken and Fennel Salad

By Casa de Suna

Published Jan 02

Salads aren’t just for summer!

In this hearty winter salad, fennel wedges are tossed with salted butter and broiled until they’re sweet and tender. It’s served atop pan-seared chicken and tender greens, then drizzled with a bright lemony dressing that’s sure to chase away any winter blues.

How to Make It

Difficulty: Easy

Overall Time: 35 min

Prep Time: 20 min

Cook Time: 15 min

Serves: 4

Ingredients

1 large fennel bulb, about 2 lbs (900 g)
2 tbsp salted butter, melted
4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, about 7 oz (200 g) each
½ tsp fine sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup olive oil, divided
1 tbsp lemon zest
⅓ cup lemon juice
2 tsp honey
1 tsp Dijon mustard
½ cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
6 cups mixed greens
2 cups torn radicchio

Instructions

Position rack in center of oven, then preheat broiler to high.
Remove stalks from fennel and reserve green feathery fronds for garnish. Cut fennel bulb in half crosswise, then into ¾-in thick wedges, using the core to keep wedges together. Toss fennel with melted butter on a large rimmed baking sheet until coated. Arrange in a single layer. Set aside.
Broil, flipping wedges halfway through, until edges are browned, about 5 minutes per side.
Meanwhile, sprinkle chicken with salt on both sides, then season with pepper. Heat a large non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat. Add 1 tbsp oil, then chicken. Cook until bottom of chicken is golden-brown, about 3 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low. Flip chicken. Cook, covered, until bottom of chicken is golden-brown and cooked through, approximately 7 to 10 minutes (a thermometer inserted in thickest part of chicken should read 165°F).
Meanwhile, whisk lemon zest and juice with remaining 3 tbsp oil, honey, and Dijon in a medium bowl. Stir in cheese. Season to taste with pepper and more honey, if desired.
Arrange greens and radicchio on plates or a platter. Top with roasted fennel then drizzle with dressing. Slice chicken and arrange over salad. Sprinkle with reserved fronds and more grated cheese and lemon zest, if desired.