This easy and delicious roast chicken salad from Jamie Oliver is a perfect quick meal, combining juicy chicken, crispy bacon, and tangy mustard dressing. Packed with fresh greens and crunchy croutons, it’s a nutritious and flavorful dish that’s versatile enough to use common ingredients you have on hand. Enjoy!
Ingredients Needed
Chicken:
- Olive oil
- 1 x 1.2kg (2.65 lbs) whole free-range chicken
- ½ a bunch (15g / 0.5 oz) of fresh thyme
- 1 lemon
- 400g (14 oz) mixed-colour cherry tomatoes
- 1 bulb of garlic
Salad:
- 1 country loaf (300g / 10.5 oz)
- 6 rashers of higher-welfare smoked streaky bacon
- 200g (7 oz) green beans
- Extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon wholegrain mustard
- Cider vinegar
- 1 bunch (30g / 1 oz) of fresh flat-leaf or curly parsley
- 1 bunch (30g / 1 oz) of fresh mint
- 6 spring onions
How To Make Roast Chicken Salad
- Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F) / Gas Mark 6.
- Prepare the chicken: Drizzle olive oil over the chicken and sprinkle with sea salt and black pepper. Strip the thyme leaves (reserve the stalks) and rub them into the skin. Halve the lemon and place it inside the chicken along with the thyme stalks.
- Roast the chicken: Place the chicken in a large roasting tray (approx. 25cm x 32cm / 10 x 12.5 inches) and roast for 1 hour. After 30 minutes, halve the cherry tomatoes and smash the garlic bulb. Add both to the tray, tossing the tomatoes in the juices. Return the chicken to the oven for the remaining 30 minutes, or until golden and the juices from the thigh run clear.
- Cool the chicken: Transfer the chicken to a plate, cover with foil, and let it rest and cool.
- Prepare the croutons: Tear the bread into thumb-sized pieces and toss them in the cooking juices in the tray. Lay the bacon rashers on top and roast for 15-20 minutes until crispy and golden.
- Shred the chicken: Remove the chicken skin (optional) and set it aside for later. Use two forks to strip the meat off the bone and place it in a large bowl. Drizzle with any resting juices from the plate.
- Cook the beans: Trim the green beans and cook them in boiling salted water for 5-6 minutes, until tender but not squeaky. Drain and add to the bowl with the shredded chicken.
- Make the salad: Add 5-6 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, whole grain mustard, and cider vinegar to the chicken and beans. Finely chop the parsley and mint, and slice the spring onions. Add them to the bowl and toss everything together, adjusting with more vinegar or seasoning if needed.
- Crisp the chicken skin: Tear the chicken skin into pieces and return it to the roasting tray, or skip this step for a healthier salad. Roast for a few minutes until crispy.
- Assemble the salad: Once everything is crispy and golden, add the shredded chicken and salad mixture to the tray or a large serving platter. Toss everything together and serve family-style in the middle of the table.
Recipe Tips
- Use free-range chicken: For the best flavor and texture, choose a free-range chicken. It makes the meat juicier and more tender.
- Crisp the chicken skin: If you want extra crunch, tear the chicken skin into pieces and roast it again with the croutons. This adds a lovely crispy texture to the salad.
- Don’t overcook the beans: Green beans should be tender but still crisp. Overcooking them will make them soggy, so keep an eye on them while boiling.
- Let the chicken rest: After roasting, always let the chicken rest for 10-15 minutes before shredding it. This helps keep the meat juicy.
- Adjust the dressing: Taste the salad before serving and adjust the mustard and vinegar to your liking. A little more mustard or vinegar can add the perfect zing!
How To Store Leftovers?
Let the leftover roast chicken salad cool to room temperature. Then, transfer it to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 2 days.
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size: 1 serving (approximately 1 cup or 200g)
- Calories: 448
- Total Fat: 20.5g
- Saturated Fat: 4.9g
- Total Carbohydrate: 30.8g
- Sugars: 8.1g
- Protein: 32.2g
Try More Jamie Oliver Recipes:
- Jamie Oliver Chicken Caesar Salad
- Jamie Oliver Beet Salad
- Jamie Oliver Apple Salad
- Jamie Oliver Brussels Sprout Salad
Jamie Oliver Roast Chicken Salad
Description
This easy and delicious roast chicken salad from Jamie Oliver is a perfect quick meal, combining juicy chicken, crispy bacon, and tangy mustard dressing. Packed with fresh greens and crunchy croutons, it’s a nutritious and flavorful dish that’s versatile enough to use common ingredients you have on hand. Enjoy!
Ingredients
Chicken:
Salad:
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F) / Gas Mark 6.
- Prepare the chicken: Drizzle olive oil over the chicken and sprinkle with sea salt and black pepper. Strip the thyme leaves (reserve the stalks) and rub them into the skin. Halve the lemon and place it inside the chicken along with the thyme stalks.
- Roast the chicken: Place the chicken in a large roasting tray (approx. 25cm x 32cm / 10 x 12.5 inches) and roast for 1 hour. After 30 minutes, halve the cherry tomatoes and smash the garlic bulb. Add both to the tray, tossing the tomatoes in the juices. Return the chicken to the oven for the remaining 30 minutes, or until golden and the juices from the thigh run clear.
- Cool the chicken: Transfer the chicken to a plate, cover with foil, and let it rest and cool.
- Prepare the croutons: Tear the bread into thumb-sized pieces and toss them in the cooking juices in the tray. Lay the bacon rashers on top and roast for 15-20 minutes until crispy and golden.
- Shred the chicken: Remove the chicken skin (optional) and set it aside for later. Use two forks to strip the meat off the bone and place it in a large bowl. Drizzle with any resting juices from the plate.
- Cook the beans: Trim the green beans and cook them in boiling salted water for 5-6 minutes, until tender but not squeaky. Drain and add to the bowl with the shredded chicken.
- Make the salad: Add 5-6 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, whole grain mustard, and cider vinegar to the chicken and beans. Finely chop the parsley and mint, and slice the spring onions. Add them to the bowl and toss everything together, adjusting with more vinegar or seasoning if needed.
- Crisp the chicken skin: Tear the chicken skin into pieces and return it to the roasting tray, or skip this step for a healthier salad. Roast for a few minutes until crispy.
- Assemble the salad: Once everything is crispy and golden, add the shredded chicken and salad mixture to the tray or a large serving platter. Toss everything together and serve family-style in the middle of the table.
Notes
- Use free-range chicken: For the best flavor and texture, choose a free-range chicken. It makes the meat juicier and more tender.
- Crisp the chicken skin: If you want extra crunch, tear the chicken skin into pieces and roast it again with the croutons. This adds a lovely crispy texture to the salad.
- Don’t overcook the beans: Green beans should be tender but still crisp. Overcooking them will make them soggy, so keep an eye on them while boiling.
- Let the chicken rest: After roasting, always let the chicken rest for 10-15 minutes before shredding it. This helps keep the meat juicy.
- Adjust the dressing: Taste the salad before serving and adjust the mustard and vinegar to your liking. A little more mustard or vinegar can add the perfect zing!
Jamie Oliver Roast Chicken Salad