Italian Chicken Salad in Lettuce Cups

Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis

Show: Everyday ItalianEpisode: Wedding Shower

Rated: 5 stars out of 5Rate itRead users' reviews (116)

RECIPE
COMMENTS & REVIEWS(116)

Cook Time:
8 min
Level:
Easy
Yield:
12 servings

Times:

Prep: 40 min
Inactive Prep: --
Cook: 8 min
Total:: 48 min

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Ingredients

10 cups coarsely shredded cooked chicken (from about 3 purchased roasted whole chickens)
2 cups roasted red and yellow bell peppers, drained, patted dry, and coarsely chopped
1 1/4 cups paper-thin slices red onion
3/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
3/4 cup slivered almonds, toasted
1/2 cup drained capers
1 1/2 cups (about) Red Wine Vinaigrette, recipe follows
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
24 butter lettuce leaves (from about 3 large heads)
1 (4-ounce) piece Parmesan, shaved with vegetable peeler

Directions

Toss the chicken, bell peppers, onion, parsley, almonds, and capers in a large bowl with enough vinaigrette to moisten. Season the chicken salad with salt and pepper, to taste.

Arrange 1 large lettuce cup and 1 small lettuce cup on each plate, overlapping slightly. Spoon the chicken salad into the lettuce cups. Drizzle more vinaigrette over the salads. Sprinkle with the Parmesan and serve.

Do-Ahead Tip: The chicken salad can be prepared 4 hours ahead and refrigerated. Just before serving, spoon the salad into the lettuce cups.

Red Wine Vinaigrette:

1/2 cup red wine vinegar

1/4 cup lemon juice

2 teaspoons honey

2 teaspoons salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1 cup olive oil

Combine the vinegar, lemon juice, honey, salt, and pepper in a blender. With the machine running, gradually add the oil and blend until emulsified.

Yield: 1 3/4 cups

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Comments & Reviews

recipe Italian Chicken Salad in Lettuce Cups
Tessa Ferndale, MI 07-20-2009
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Perfect Chicken Salad
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

I made this recipe for a large group for a baby shower. It was perfect, light meal for a large party out on the deck! I may... have added more capers than called for. Also, it's way better after the dresing has been on it for a couple of hours, so make it in the morning for lunch.Read more
recipe Italian Chicken Salad in Lettuce Cups
Melissa Scottsdale, AZ 06-25-2009
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Women and Wine Party
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

My girlfriends absolutely loved this tasty appetizer. I served it with extra lemon wedges and they ate them up. Great for... any party. Thanks Giada, you made my friends very happy and will definetly serve this again and again. Read more
recipe Italian Chicken Salad in Lettuce Cups
Glenn Palatine, IL 06-19-2009
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Fantastic!!
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

I've making this Chicken Salad for the last three years, and everybody loves it. I preffer to roast my own chickens and roast... my own peppers,which does take more time, but I can't trust the foods stores for consistancy, and secondly I use a bottled vinegarette for the dressing. My wife has taken this to many luncheons and parties, and everyone just raves about it. Thanks Giada! Read more
recipe Italian Chicken Salad in Lettuce Cups
Jen longmont, CO 01-09-2009
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Delish...
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

My family loves this! I omit the pasta, cut down on the dressing, and serve it on croissants for a yummy lunch. I love it... better in the summer when we can load it with fresh herbs from the garden, but it's great anytime. Even my chicken hating hubby loves it!!!Read more
recipe Italian Chicken Salad in Lettuce Cups
Sarah Toronto, ON 10-02-2008
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Amazing
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

I made this for a bridal shower a few weeks ago and everyone loved it!!!! What a great recipe. Thanks so much
recipe Italian Chicken Salad in Lettuce Cups
JE hermosa beach, CA 09-25-2008
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I plan to make this today
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

Just a little heads-up: I have in front of me Giada's book, Everyday Pasta, that I recently checked out from my local... library. It contains the recipe Italian Chicken Salad in Lettuce Cups, too, but with some noticeable differences. The biggest difference I noticed was the 1 lb of farfalle pasta! In website recipe, it says 12 servings but in book, its for 4 to 6. Here is the list of ingredients from her book: 4 cups chicken (from about 1 1//2 whole chickens) 1/2 cup slivered almonds (in book, gives directions on toasting them) 1 lb farfalle pasta (gets added when chicken, bell peppers, onion, parsley, almonds, and capers are tossed together in the vinaigrette) 1/2 cup each diced, roasted red and yellow peppers (about 1 pepper each) 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced 1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley 1/4 cup drained capers 1/2 tsp salt 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper 1 1/4 cups Red Wine Vinaigrette 12 butter lettuce leaves (from about 2 heads) 2-oz chunk of Parmesan cheese, shaved with a veggie peeler Her comment on this dish as written in her book: "I rely on this dish whenever I'm hosting a ladies' lunch or wedding shower or when I just want something tasty and healthy in the refrigerator to snack on. The trick here is using a purchased, roasted whole chicken. It's important to use a whole chicken because it stays moister and more tender than precooked breasts." Read more