Chicken Apricot Salad

Instructions

1. If the chicken’s not already cooked, poach it gently in a little water while you chop and mix everything else. When it’s cooked through, chop it. (Poaching a chicken breast takes about 10-12 minutes, depending on thickness.)
2. Finely grate the peel of a fresh lemon into a large bowl, then juice the lemon into the same bowl (remember to grate the peel first!)
3. Add poppy seeds, mustard, honey, oil and apricots to the bowl, then let apricots soften for at least 15 minutes in this dressing (less time if they are very fresh).
4. Add the lumpy ingredients and chicken, and mix well. Serve on a bed of greens.

Tips and Variations

• Use 2 tablepsoons honey-mustard instead of honey and mustard.
• Dip your measuring spoon in the oil before measuring the honey, so the honey will slide right off. Or just estimate the honey, pouring it right into your salad bowl. No need to be exact!
• Make enough for tomorrow’s lunch and feel free to add other ingredients you have lying around: fresh corn, Italian chicken sausage, chopped lettuce etc. The dressing’s the key, then anything else goes.
• Always roll a lemon before juicing it—it breaks down the fruit inside and makes it jucier!
• Make everything ahead and add the lettuce just when serving.
• Instead of doubling everything, you can add extra veggies to stretch this.