Having recently received a copy of A salad for all seasons cookbook by Harry Eastwood as a gift, I had a go at making the smoked chicken, watercress and almond salad with a garlic cream dressing (p35). However, I adapted the recipe by using chargrilled rather than smoked chicken, walnuts in place of almonds and mixed instead of pink peppercorns.
I was really pleased with how this turned out. The garlic cream dressing was thicker than your average salad dressing, but it tasted great – I could just about detect the garlic and the lemon, without the taste becoming too overpowering. It’s quick and easy to make, too; simply toss the ingredients together, prep the no-cook dressing and drizzle over the salad.
Ingredients
2 large handfuls ready-to-use watercress leaves
30g walnuts, crumbled into pieces
A medium bunch of tarragon leaves, torn from the stem
150g chargrilled chicken breast, cut into strips
A pinch of freshly ground mixed peppercorns
For the dressing
2 tbsp crème fraîche
2 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 clove garlic, peeled and minced
Salt to taste
Method
For the dressing
1. Mix the dressing ingredients together until combined and season with salt.
For the salad
1. Toss the watercress with the walnuts, tarragon and chicken.
2. Drizzle the dressing over the salad and sprinkle with the freshly ground peppercorns. Serve immediately, as the watercress will begin to wilt.
This sounds totally delicious. I love watercress, chicken and walnuts, and oh garlic, so yummy! What are peppercorns?
Oh yum this sounds amazing – I totally need to try this, perhaps I can whip it up tomorrow. x
I absolutely love chicken salad and adding a garlicky dressing to the mix would just be heaven. Yum!
Looks great. Thank tou for sharing. All these food posts in the morning are making my tummy rumble x
This looks fab, I think hubby would be impressed as there is not to much greenery but plenty of meat!!
Looks tasty and easy to make.
Ohh yum! This looks and sounds delicious! So simple to make too x
This looks delicious, my two year old loves all of the components especially garlic so I might try this recipe for lunch next week.
This looks lovely! I love watercress and I always add it to my chicken risotto.
Oh wow this looks great. My husband would love this! Might have to try it
Wow , this looks so delicious and easy to cook too. Love your yummy food posts
Mm this salad looks incredible! I really need to start eating more salads…
I love the sound of a walnut garlic salad, a veggie version would be better for me though 🙂
This looks and sounds amazing! I’ll have to try it!
This looks divine I would replace the chicken with Quorn as I am a vegetarian but that sauce looks delicious!
This looks delicious! I love watercress in a salad.
Love the sound of this, although I’d have to leave out the walnuts. Watercress is one of my favourite additions to salad.
You could swap the nuts for croutons 🙂 Would be delicious!
This is my sort of dish = going to add it to my pinterest dinner ideas board x
Awesome, glad you liked it and thank you 🙂
oh my! Thats looks amazing and so healthy! I think ill make it tomorrow!
It is a very tasty salad 🙂 Glad to have inspired you 😀
That looks and sounds so fresh and delicious- I wish I had the ability to think up recipes like this! x
Thanks, I actually took some inspiration from a recipe by Harry Eastman in her book ‘A Salad For All Seasons’
I’ve only just had my tea but this has me hungry again! It looks so incredibly yummy, defo have to give this a go!
Oops! 🙂 Hehe, it was delicious