Chicken Salad Pita and Chicken Vegetable Soup

Serving Size: 8

With this selection you get two great chicken dishes. First, a classic chicken salad that's loaded with crunchy vegetables wrapped in a whole wheat pita, and second, a delicious soup made with homemade broth that's filled with hearty vegetables, tender pieces of chicken, and whole wheat pasta, making it a great main dish meal. You will get 4 servings of each dish.

Recipe by: Mayumi Tavalero

Cook Times

Active Prep20

Hands-On Cook15

Hands-Off Cook0

Passive0

Recipe Serving Size8

Cooking Tools Required

5-quart saucepot, Colander, Cutting board, Measuring cups and spoons, Sharp Knives, Tongs, Top Stove, Wooden Spatula

Ingredients

For the Poached Chicken:

2 pound boneless skinless chicken breast
cold water to cover chicken by at least 1 inch
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
4 clove garlic smashed and peeled
1 each lemon halved and squeezed into poaching liquid
1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns

For the Chicken Salad:

4 piece whole wheat pita cut in 4 halves
1 head leaf lettuce divided into single leaves

and chicken salad filling

1/2 cup mayonnaise
3/4 cup celery finely chopped
2 ounce red onion finely chopped
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/3 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 1/2 tablespoon Italian parsley chopped

For the Chicken Soup:

8 ounce whole wheat elbow pasta or any small whole wheat pasta
2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
3 ounce red onion diced
1 clove garlic finely chopped
1 each large carrot diced
2 rib celery diced
⅓ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 tablespoon Italian parsley chopped

Instructions

Poached Chicken:

Add chicken to a large pot and cover with cold water, by at least 1 inch. Sprinkle evenly with salt, then add garlic, lemon, and black peppercorns.
Bring to a boil, turn down to a simmer, cover and cook for 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and allow to sit for 20 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through (165 degrees), while you work on the rest of the prep.
Remove chicken from stock, strain stock and reserve both.

Chicken Salad:

Dice half of the reserved poached chicken. Add to a medium bowl; add all the filling ingredients and mix well. Season salad with salt and pepper. To serve, lay single leaf lettuce on pita then add roughly 1/2 cup chicken salad. Fold and enjoy immediately. Store chicken salad, lettuce, and pita separately for future servings.

Chicken Soup:

Place the olive oil in a large saucepan set over medium heat. When hot add the onion and sauté for a few minutes, until onion is tender.
Add the garlic and sauté for an additional minute or two, being careful not to burn the garlic.
Add 4 cups of the reserved chicken stock, carrots, and celery. Bring to a boil. Turn down to a simmer, cover and cook for 10 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Remove from heat. Shred half of the reserved cooked chicken; add to soup. Stir in the pepper, and parsley.

Reheating Instructions

Heat soup in the microwave on high power until heated through.

Nutrition