What is Grilled Chicken Salad?
Grilled chicken salad is a light protein-packed dish. A salad of lettuce and assorted veggies acts as the base while tender grilled chicken slices are added in or on top of the salad. A variety of dressings can be drizzled on top. The flavors are salty, refreshing, and a little umami.
Ingredients
Grilled chicken can be cooked using any part of the bird, including the breast, legs, thighs and wings. The whole bird can be grilled too, though by restaurant standards it is common to grill it in pieces and not as one, mainly for the sake of time. Grilling chicken involves cooking the chicken on a rack over piping hot coals. This creates a lean, flavorful and sometimes slightly smoky tasting piece of poultry. This methods allows the fat to drip rather than pool under the meat. The chicken is often tender and has brown grill marks, which adds an extra layer of umami flavor with a crisped texture. Grilled chicken can be served as is, or an a salad, sandwich or any other variety of dishes.
Cherry tomatoes are small bite-sized tomatoes that grow on tomato plants. They are a variety of tomato enjoyed for their small size, about the size of a cherry. These tomatoes are round with smooth shiny skins. When you bite into the thin skin, the soft center of the tomato bursts into a juicy sweet and tart flavor. Cherry tomatoes are often served in salads, though can be found cooked with meats, veggies and starches.
Romaine lettuce is a type of lettuce with flat, dark green leaves that grow in a cluster in the soil. The lettuce stalk at the base is dense, watery and usually discarded because of its bitter taste. The leaves are shorter in width and longer in length. These leaves get smaller and a lighter shade of green towards the heart of the vegetable. The flavor is green and vegetal. Lettuce is usually served raw.
Vinegar is made from alcohol. It can be made from wine, fermented apple, grains and other sources. Healthy bacteria is used to ferment this product. The final result is a thin liquid used to season foods. All vinegar is sour. White vinegar has a sharp sour flavor and is clear. Red wine vinegar is a clear red color and tastes a bit more rounded. Balsamic vinegar is dark red or brown and tastes rich, fruity and sour. There are many other kinds of vinegar, each with its own unique flavor profile. Some types of vinegar are suited to specific flavors and cuisines. It is used in sauces and in dishes both sweet and savory.
Olive oil is extracted from the fresh olive, which grows on a tree. Many olives are needed in the extraction of the oil. This is done by a mechanical process and sometimes by a chemical process, though the mechanical method is highly preferred. Olive oil is a golden color and changes slightly due to whether it is extra virgin, or first cold pressed. The flavor of olive oil depends on how it was processed. Lower quality oils will taste mild, while high quality olive oils will have a robust flavor that is green, or may have a spicy quality. Extra virgin and first cold pressed or preferred. Olive oil lends a depth of flavor to any savory dish.
Lemon juice is made from the flesh of the pulpy yellow lemon fruit. The juice is squeezed from the flesh of the lemon and is a pale yellow color. The flavor is very sour and bright. Lemon juice is used in multiple cuisines around the world to brighten and enhance the flavors of the other ingredients. Lemon juice is used to make lemonade and goes well on fish. It has many uses.
Salt is a mineral composed mostly of sodium chloride. It is the main flavoring used in food and is naturally occurring in certain foods, such as cheese, beets, meat and celery, plus many others. Salt is white and has finer granules than sugar. Many commercial salts include iodide, while others exclude it. Most salts are white, while some are naturally pale pink with minerals. Salt brings out the flavor of something and can create a tangy mouthfeel, if used in excess.
The peppercorn plant grows in tropical climate and produces tiny black fruit. The fruit is dried and become hard. At this point it is ground into a textured powder comprised of black and grey dots. It has a flavor that is spicy, pungent and sharp. Pepper is an extremely popular spice, especially in Western cuisines and lends a gentle heat to dishes. There are different varieties of black pepper and the flavor changes subtly because of this.
