Spicy Chicken Salad with Apple, Celery, and Pickled Vegetables

Leftovers are the foundation of my lunches, and roasted chicken is the dish that keeps on giving. I like the slight sweet and sour flavors in this salad, along with the crunch of all the elements. Giving the chicken a little caramelization and crispness makes this version very flavorful and more complex than your typical chicken salad. I call for pickled fennel and red onion, but any pickled vegetables will work because their role is to add acidity and crunch. MAKES 4 SERVINGS

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Step 1

1 Combine the chicken, olive oil, and chili paste in a bowl and toss until all the chicken is coated. Heat a medium sauté pan over medium-high heat, add the chicken, and cook until the edges are crispy on all sides, about 5 minutes. Chili paste often has sugar in it, making it tend to burn, so watch the heat. Transfer the chicken to a serving bowl, and let it cool for a couple of minutes.

Step 2

2 Add the apples, celery, vinegar, salt, and pepper to the bowl and toss to combine. Top the salad with cashews, pickled vegetables, parsley, mint, and tarragon, then drizzle the top with more olive oil. Serve immediately.

Step 3

Note: If you don’t have any leftover roasted chicken, simply rub 2 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs with olive oil, salt, and pepper; place on a small baking sheet; and roast at 425 degrees F for about 25 minutes, or until the internal temperature is 165 degrees F. If you don’t have chili paste or harissa on hand, rub the chicken with 1 teaspoon chili powder and ½ teaspoon honey, and increase the olive oil to 5 tablespoons