I first saw this salad on instagram (shocker!), a video posted by Amber Lancaster, and I was immediately intrigued so I began my research. This salad is inspired by a dish called Le Bowl, served at Zinqué, a trendy restaurant creating french inspired dishes with several locations in California and one in Arizona. The dishes all look sooo amazing, if I ever make my way out west I am definitely checking this place out.
Ok, back to the salad. The reason I wanted to recreate this was because it has two very exciting ingredients, Sriracha mayonnaise and Comté cheese. I had never made Sriracha mayo but let me tell you, it’s delicious and easy to make. Comté cheese is such a great addition to your cheese roster, it works great in different dishes and is a good choice for snacking with crackers (also stays fresh in your fridge for days which is always a plus). If you need more convincing check this article out. The flavors of the Sriracha mayo with the marinated tomatoes/avocado/purple onions become the dressing so don’t worry about needing anything else. I used chicken for this but you can use any protein you wish, shrimp or steak would be so great as well. Follow the recipe below and let me know what you think!
The Best and Easy French Inspired Chicken Salad (with Comté cheese!)
Ingredients
Sriracha Mayonnaise
- 1 Cup Mayonnaise
- 2 Tablespoons Sriracha
- 1 Squeeze Lemon Juice
- 1 Clove Crushed Garlic
Main Salad
- 1 Bag Frozen Instant Brown Rice (from Trader Joes)
- 1 Bag Arugula
- 1 Carton Baby tomatoes
- Cubed Comté Cheese
- Shaved Parmesan Cheese
- Avocado
- Purple Onion
- Kosher Salt
- Pepper
- Olive Oil
- White Vinegar
Chicken
- 1 Pound Chicken breasts
- 2 Cloves Crushed Garlic
- Kosher Salt
- Pepper
- Paprika
- Olive Oil
Instructions
Sriracha Mayonnaise
- Mix the mayonnaise and Sriracha in a small bowl. Add the crushed garlic and lemon juice. You can add more Sriracha if you want it spicier. Taste and adjust to your liking. You can place the covered bowl in the fridge and use for a few days.
Marinated Avocado, Tomatoes, and Onions
- Cut a handful of cherry tomatoes, avocado, and purple onion and place in a bowl. Mix with kosher salt, pepper, olive oil, and a splash of vinegar (you can use white or red wine vinegar). Let rest for a few minutes for the flavors to blend together.
Grilled Chicken
- Marinade the chicken breasts with salt, pepper, crushed garlic, paprika, and olive oil. Let sit for a few minutes or overnight in the fridge. Cook the chicken on a skillet. Cut into cubes before adding to the salad.
Main Salad
- Now you can begin assembling the salad. Start with a bed of brown rice (you can use white rice or quinoa). I like to get the organic frozen bagged brown rice from Trader Joes.Drizzle the Sriracha mayonnaise followed by the arugula salad. Add the marinated cherry tomatoes/avocado/purple onions, cubed Comté cheese, shavings of parmesan cheese, and grilled chicken.Have a side of Sriracha mayo in a small bowl to add more as you eat your salad.Enjoy!
