Radicchio, pumpkin and tomato salad with poached chicken

Raw pumpkin has a deliciously buttery and nutty flavour with a gently yielding texture. Combined with bitter leaves, feta and a tangy honey dressing, this is a healthy salad that doesn’t feel healthy at all. If radicchio isn’t your thing, substitute your preferred leaf, be it rocket, endive or even baby spinach.

Credit: Benito Martin

• serves

  2

• prep

  15 minutes

• cook

  25 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

• 1 skinless chicken breast
• 100 g radicchio leaves, torn
• 120 g peeled pumpkin, cut into matchsticks
• 150 g heirloom tomatoes, halved
• salt and black pepper
• ¼ cup parsley leaves
• 50 g feta cheese, crumbled
• 2 tbsp pepitas (hulled pumpkin seeds), toasted

 

Dressing

• 1½ tbsp ml extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 tsp white wine vinegar
• 1 tsp wholegrain mustard
• ½ tsp honey 

Instructions

Bring a saucepan of salted water to a simmer. Add the chicken and simmer gently for 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and allow to poach for a further 10–12 minutes until just cooked through. Drain and roughly shred. Season with black pepper. 

Combine chicken, radicchio, pumpkin, tomato and half the feta. Whisk dressing ingredients together and season to taste. Add enough dressing to lightly coat and toss to combine.

Arrange salad on plates and top with remaining feta and pumpkin seeds.

Photography by Benito Martin. Styling by Lynsey Fryers. Food preparation by Suresh Watson

Heikke place mat in mid grey and Tio large jug both from Country Road. Trattoria dinner plate from Papaya. Studio William fork and knife, and Robert Gordon extra large bowl, both from Chef and the Cook.  

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.