I really should be packing right now. And I’m expecting 3 different repair people today, electrician, solar water heater fixer and handyman who will be taking over the evening ritual of watering my tomato plants. I haven’t even rummaged through our store room to find a suitcase. Where am I off to? The 5th Food Blogger Connect conference in London! I can’t believe it was November when I booked my place; where has the time gone?
I’m so looking forward to this gathering. I am hoping to experience, learn, taste, enjoy and make loads of foodie friends! And above all, fill my head with ideas for my blog! Do you know that amongst the speakers are David Lebovitz, Penny De Los Santos and Jaden Hair of Steamy Kitchen? Wow. Any food blogger reading will know that these are seriously interesting people! There are many more of course, like David Loftus (a photographer who works with Jamie Oliver), a team from the Food Network and a group of well known UK bloggers.
Right, on with the recipe so I can get on with the packing! I have been back on the Dukan for a couple of weeks now, trying to get into shape. This is so I can stuff my face without a second thought during the conference. Then it will probably be back to square one, but it will have been worth it!
I noticed this salad on The Perfect Pantry, a site which has inspired me more than once to adapt recipes for this particular diet. Lydia makes many lovely light dishes which, with minor alterations, are perfectly suitable and make a great change to the same old grilled chicken breasts.
Here we have a chicken and egg salad, with a gorgeous vinaigrette dressing which I have lightened up even more by using runny natural yogurt instead of olive oil. You could also use buttermilk. Make sure it’s under 2% fat though for the diet! Dukaners can also eat this on Protein Only days, limiting the parsley quantity (use as an aromatic herb rather than a vegetable). If you are on a Protein and Vegetable day, let your imagination run wild and add whatever you fancy! The original recipe includes celery leaves which sound lovely.
This is a great way to eat up leftover chicken. I usually make a whole one in the slow cooker, with just a few herbs rubbed onto to the skin (ok, I help them stick with a tsp or two of oil, but what’s that for a whole chicken, right?). I pop it in for 8 hours on low, no liquids or anything else added, and hey presto – rotisserie style chicken. Which leaves me with loads of lean protein to enjoy in my lunch for a couple of days.
Protein Packed Chicken & Egg Salad – Dukan Perfect
Serves 1 hungry Dukaner
Ingredients
1 cup cooked chicken, chopped or torn into bite size pieces
2 hard boiled eggs, cut into bite size pieces
2 Tbs chopped parsley
3 Tbs runny natural yogurt or buttermilk (under 2%)
1 tsp mustard (I used Dijon)
¼ tsp dried tarragon
2 tsp white wine vinegar (it’s quite tart, use less if you don’t want that)
salt & pepper
Instructions
1. Add chicken, eggs and parsley to a bowl.
2. Add the dressing ingredients to a clean jam jar, cover and shake well.
3. Pour over salad, toss and dig in!
Notes: You can make more dressing and leave it in the jar for later or the next day. It is also lovely with smoked salmon.
Due to limited time today I’m not sharing the blog love. Click on the box “Food Blog Search” located on my side bar to search through loads of great recipes. See ya!
Hello! Firstly, I have to say the ‘Dukan Perfect’ in your title sounds like a swear word 🙂
Secondly, you can put a chicken in a slow cooker with no water/stock? Really? I never knew this! That would amazing for packed lunches etc.
Anyway, I’m really here to say I can’t wait to meet you too! I’ll be the country bumpkin in the corner with a piece of straw in the corner of her mouth 🙂
Janie x
Haha! Hadn’t thought how it sounds, you’re right! And yes, whole chicken is one of the slow cooker miracles I have discovered, along with the jacket potatoes (just wash em and throw em in). No liquid, nothing! Chicken needs to be whole though, and you get loads of juice (makings of an ahhmazing gravy) at the end from the bones. Skin can be on or off, but I leave it on. I usually pick meat off, store in tupper, and chuck bones back in (broken up) with onion, carrot, whatever, bit of water to cover, and cook for another 12 hrs. Fab stock for freezer! See you Friday! (I’ll be the one with all the mosquito bites!)
Enjoy the conference!!
Thank you 🙂
This salad looks great, Eleni. I love a good egg salad. Thanks for the tip on using a slow cooker to “roast” a chicken. WIth hot days on their way, my slow cooker will get more use. I’ll surely try a whole chicken. Have a great time at the conference!
Thanks very much! Already in the UK now! Slow cookers are excellent for summer, otherwise you “roast” inside the oven AND out 🙂
I’m with John and his comment. The slow cooker should be used right now while it is so hot. Great recipe. Thank you.
Thanks so much! They are great little inventions!
This is a great low carb meal that is fun during the hot summer months. I really need to invest in one of those slow cookers.
Thanks Bam! They are very useful, and not that expensive. Definitely worth it!
Hello nice meeting you at Food Bloggers Connect last week! I like how you write! Seems so effortless!
Greetings!
Thank you so much Sneige! It was great meeting you too! Looking forward to catching up with your blog when I get back to Athens 🙂
Good idea to use yoghurt instead of oil in a salad. Lovely combinations here. Enjoying the comments here too.
Hi Sally! I’ve just discovered my reply here never uploaded properly! Thanks for taking the time to comment. It’s amazing how yogurt or buttermilk can make a great substitute for oil in salads, you’d never think it.. Great meeting you at #FBC5 if only very briefly. We’ll keep in touch via our blogs 🙂
Hi ya, Nice to meet you at FBC5. I have a shiny red slow cooker that needs a bit more use. I like your chicken idea in it. Delish sounding Salad.
Hi there! Great to meet you too! My slow cooker is definitely my favourite kitchen gadget. And my most viewed recipe on here is for slow cooker jacket potatoes! So easy! Let me know if you need more info re the “roast” chicken.