Coconut Poached Chicken Salad With Sweet Pea Tendrils

A light, vibrant salad with tender coconut-poached chicken, crisp asparagus, pea tendrils, sugar snap peas and endive, finished with a silky coconut-lemon dressing and pistachio garnish.

Recipe Information

Total Time:

Yield:

4 servings

Ingredients

Dressing

¼ cup canned unsweetened coconut cream

2 tablespoons melted virgin coconut oil

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

½ teaspoon coarse kosher salt

½ teaspoon coarse-ground black pepper

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Poached Chicken

2 cups unsweetened coconut milk beverage

5 green onions, chopped

2 dried bay leaves

1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt

2 (8-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts

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Salad

12 spears white asparagus, trimmed

1 head green Belgian endive, separated into leaves

1 head red Belgian endive, separated into leaves

2 cups lightly packed pea tendrils

2 cups sugar snap peas, shelled and/or split lengthwise

Chopped roasted and salted shelled pistachios, for garnish

Lemon zest, for garnish

Lemon wedges, for serving

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Directions

For dressing, in a small bowl, whisk together coconut cream, melted coconut oil, lemon juice, ½ teaspoon salt and black pepper until combined; set aside.
To poach chicken, in a medium saucepan, combine coconut milk beverage, green onions, bay leaves and 1 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil. Add chicken breasts; reduce heat to low. Cover and cook for 15 to 18 minutes or until chicken reaches 165°F. Transfer chicken breasts to a cutting board, reserving the poaching liquid.
Strain the poaching liquid. Whisk ½ cup strained liquid into the dressing; set aside. Slice chicken and place in a large bowl. Add remaining strained liquid; set aside.
For salad, fill a large skillet with water. Bring to a boil. Add asparagus; cook for 1 to 2 minutes or until crisp-tender. Drain and run under cold water to cool. Cut each asparagus spear in half.
To serve, drain chicken, discarding liquid. On 4 salad plates, arrange green and red endive leaves, pea tendrils, sugar snap peas and asparagus. Top with chicken slices. Garnish with pistachios and lemon zest, if desired. Serve with dressing and lemon wedges.