Chopped Salad with Chicken, Couscous, and Vegetables
During a vacation in Scottsdale, Arizona, my brother-in-law took me to his favorite restaurant, Cowboy Ciao. It serves a very colorful, delicious chopped salad called a Stetson. I wanted to recreate it at home. This main-course salad is presented with the ingredients lined up in rows. For convenience, you could just toss the salad instead.
During a vacation in Scottsdale, Arizona, my brother-in-law took me to his favorite restaurant, Cowboy Ciao. It serves a very colorful, delicious chopped salad called a Stetson. I wanted to recreate it at home. This main-course salad is presented with the ingredients lined up in rows. For convenience, you could just toss the salad instead.
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 shallot halved
- 1 cup fresh basil leaves (packed)
- 1/3 cup asiago cheese* grated
- 1/3 cup dried currants
- 1/3 cup shelled pumpkin seeds
- 1 10-oz package plain couscous (10-ounce package), cooked according to package instructions (about 5 cups)
- 3 cups arugula coarsely chopped
- 1 pound plum tomatoes seeded, diced (about 2 cups)
- 2 grilled chicken breast halves diced
- 2 cups fresh corn kernels (from about 2 ears)
- Carbohydrate 72.72251875 g
- Cholesterol 65.3306666666667 mg
- Fat 34.5644277777778 g
- Fiber 5.32063896980758 g
- Protein 26.6738152777778 g
- Saturated Fat 5.85542444444444 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (374g)
- Sodium 662.652680555556 mg
- Sugar 67.4018797801924 g
- Trans Fat 2.03896722222222 g
- Calories 695 calories
Step-by-step
- Blend basil leaves, mayonnaise, and shallot in processor until smooth. Gradually blend in buttermilk and lemon juice. Season dressing to taste with salt and pepper. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)
- Mix Asiago cheese, currants, and pumpkin seeds in medium bowl.
- Using 1/6 of couscous, 1/6 of arugula, 1/6 of tomatoes, 1/6 of chicken, 1/6 of corn, and 1/6 of Asiago cheese mixture, form rows on each of 6 plates. Serve, passing dressing separately.
Can standard wheat couscous be swapped for a gluten-free grain, or will the dressing absorption change entirely? Adjusting components in a composed main-course salad requires understanding how moisture and density interact across disparate textures. The base relies on contrasting elements: tender proteins, snappy raw vegetables, and a herbaceous dairy-based dressing.
Managing Moisture and Density Substitutions
Plum tomatoes release substantial water once seeded and diced, so salting them in a colander for fifteen minutes before assembly prevents a watery pooling effect on the plate. When replacing the plain couscous with quinoa or millet, maintain the approximate cooked volume of five cups to preserve the correct ratio of grain to arugula. Arugula provides a peppery bite that milder greens like spinach cannot replicate, though watercress offers a similarly sharp profile if substituted ounce-for-ounce. Dried currants introduce concentrated sweetness against the savory grilled chicken, yet golden raisins or chopped dried cherries work equally well without altering the chewy texture.Balancing the Herbaceous Dressing and Cheese
Fresh basil leaves emulsify directly into the mayonnaise and buttermilk base within a food processor, creating a vibrant green coating that clings to the greens rather than sliding off. Asiago cheese adds sharp, nutty salinity, but aged Parmesan or Pecorino Romano serve as viable alternatives if grated finely to distribute evenly through the seed and currant mixture. Buttermilk provides necessary acidity to cut through the heavy fat content of mayonnaise, making fresh lemon juice an essential balancing agent rather than a mere aromatic.
