This recipe is adapted from Salad of the day: 365 recipes for every day of the year by Georgeanne Brennan. Georgeanne says, “Earthy, quick-to-cook lentils bed this main course salad. For a vegetarian option, substitute toasted walnuts for the chicken.”
Served 4
- 1 cup dried French-style Rancho Gordo green lentils or caviar black lentils
- sea-salt
- 7 drained sun-dried tomatoes in oil, chopped, plus 3 tablespoons oil reserved
- 1 garlic clove, chopped
- 4 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- ¼ pound feta cheese, crumbled or diced, 1 tablespoon set aside for garnish
- 1½ cups shredded fried chicken
- 1 drained sun-dried tomato in oil, cut into strips for garnish
- In a large saucepan, combine the lentils, 6 cups water, and 1 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, until lentils are tender, 30 to 40 minutes.
- Drain the lentils well and transfer to a large bowl. Add ½ teaspoon salt, the chopped sun-dried tomatoes and reserved oil, garlic, 3 tablespoons parsley and vinegar. Stir gently to mix.
- Arrange the lentils on a plate. Top with cheese and chicken. Garnish with the reserved slices of sun-dried tomatoes and feta. Sprinkle with the remaining 1 tbsp parsley. Serve at room temperature.
Note: A customer recently wrote and suggested replacing the chicken with garbanzo beans to make a vegetarian main course salad. Great idea!