ENTER OUR KITCHEN, WATCH & LEARN
What do you do when you look in the fridge expecting to find that barbeque chicken YOU bought but only see two chicken legs and thighs? First, you have to get over the fact that your own family members cheated you out of the best part of that chicken. Once the trauma’s over, your creative wheels start spinning. And then, you make a meal of whatever items you desperately grab in the fruit/veggie drawer.
All of the above happened to me last month. I ended up creating one of the most artistic and delicious salads I’ve ever made in my life – here it is.
Prep time: 10 to 15 minutes
Serves: 2
Ingredients:
2 barbequed chicken legs, skin and bone discarded and meat cut into cubes
2 barbequed chicken thighs, skin and bone discarded and meat cut into cubes
2 celery stalks, peeled and thinly sliced (diagonally)
1-1/2 cups diced Cantaloup melon
1 large, vine-ripened tomato, cubed
3 tablespoons slivered Italian flat-leaf parsley (do this with cooking shears or scissors)
3 to 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Juice of half a lime or lemon
Salt and ground black pepper, to taste
1. Combine all ingredients in a large salad bowl.
2. Toss and taste.
3. Adjust seasonings, if necessary.
Wine pairing suggestion: Chilled Verdejo (white).
*Note: I prefer two types of chicken: organic chicken from Wholefoods® stores; and Mary’s Free Range Chicken® (vegetarian diet; no antibiotics or preservatives).
Text & Photographs © 2011 Nancy DeLucia Real
Nancy DeLucia Real is an art historian and chef. She has led culinary courses at the Italian Cultural Institute, The Getty Center and The Getty Villa and is a former member of the Culinary Historians of Southern California. Nancy's gastronomy training took place in the heart of Italy under the tutelage of her grandmother. She has taught international cuisine at Williams Sonoma and Sur la Table Stores. Nancy's art history & culinary courses are ongoing at various institutions. She also teaches private cooking classes. 
