Break away from the everyday picnic or backyard barbecue fare with a fresh take on a tasty chicken salad. Here, ripe tomatoes take the place of bread and create an edible bowl for the salad in a twist by Twin Cities cookbook author and chef Robin Asbell, who created this recipe for Real Food. Fresh rosemary and tender cubes of zucchini give it an Italian feel. And if you would like to bring these to a picnic or potluck, the recipe includes packing and transport tips to ensure they arrive at their destination safely.
Rosemary Chicken Salad Stuffed Tomatoes Recipe
Makes 8 servings
1 pound chopped chicken breast
2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, minced
1 clove chopped garlic
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
8 medium tomatoes
1 medium zucchini, diced
1 rib celery, finely chopped
2 tablespoons red onion, chopped
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1. In a large bowl, place chicken, rosemary, garlic, salt and oil, and toss to coat. Refrigerate.
2. Spread a kitchen towel on an edged baking sheet. Using a sharp paring knife, cut a lid from each tomato, making a wide opening. Reserve tops. Use knife to slice along inner walls of tomato and use a spoon to scoop pulp and flesh into a bowl. Finely chop 1/4 cup tomato flesh and reserve, saving the rest for another use. Place each tomato, cut side down, on towel-lined pan to drain.
3. Place a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Drop chicken into hot pan and let brown before stirring. Cook, stirring, until golden and cooked through. Remove from heat and scrape into a medium bowl. Let cool to room temperature. Add reserved tomatoes, zucchini, celery, onion and mayonnaise. Stir to mix well.
4. Use a spoon to scoop chicken salad into tomatoes and pack them tightly in a storage container. Replace tomato lids. Place a piece of wax paper on top of tomatoes and seal container. If there is any extra space in container, use crumpled wax paper as packing material so tomatoes do not move during transport.
Nutrition info Rosemary Chicken Salad Stuffed Tomatoes (per serving): Calories 204 (127 From Fat); Fat 14g (Sat. 2g); Chol 41mg; Sodium 247mg; Carb 5g; Fiber 2g; Protein 14g