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This Grilled Chicken Nicoise Salad is fresh, healthy and delicious. The Basil Anchovy Dressing takes it to a new level of deliciousness!
Before I share this wonderful Grilled Chicken Nicoise Salad, I have to tell you what Scott's been up to. It's been a slow process, actually something he's been working on for well over a year, but it's finally completed and we're super excited to be able to reveal his project. It's also going to be fun for you, as it will add a whole new dimension of deliciousness to The Café!
I have to go back in time a bit to share where we're at now. Twelve years ago, when we were looking for a new home, one of the things that really attracted me to the house we live in, was the backyard. Looking out the kitchen window, there was a narrow strip of pretty green grass and, behind the grass, a gorgeous row of tall evergreen cypress trees. It was a beautiful sight and I knew I would enjoy it as I cooked and worked in the kitchen. I also liked the idea of the privacy the trees would provide. There were lots of other features that sold us on the house, but the backyard was definitely a biggie for me.
Over the years though, the trees not only grew much taller but also began to thin out and eventually turn brown in spots. It was no longer a beautiful sight out my window, more like a dismal and dreary view. And as the trees increased in size, they produced lots of shade, transforming my lovely green grass to a sparse, barren sight.
Scott knew long before I did (or would admit) that the trees had to go. I hated to give them up but I finally "got it" - they just weren't going to recover. Reluctantly, but realistically, I agreed they had to come down. Looking back, I now realize that the demise of my beloved trees was the dawn of an incredible backyard renovation. It began a year ago in early spring and it's been a step-by-step process ever since.
I'm sharing a few pictures today of one corner of the yard, definitely my favorite part; five wonderful elevated raised garden beds that Scott designed and built in order for us to grow our own produce and share "garden-to-table" recipes and lots of other gardening information here on the blog. In typical "Scott fashion", he even made it look beautiful with flowers, herbs, a water feature and lights to be able to enjoy the garden at night!
Just think of all the delicious recipes we'll be able to post about with the veggies we'll be growing!
We got a bit of a late start, as Scott was still building the beds all the way through the month of May. He didn't get to plant until right around Memorial Day but, as you can see, everyone is quite happy in their new home. We had our first cucumbers in a salad for lunch today and will be grilling eggplant for dinner tonight. So exciting!
The wonderful folks from KitchenAid have helped us celebrate the backyard renovation with an amazing new grill. It's a beautiful, state-of-the-art grill, much nicer and well thought out than the big name brand grill we used for years prior.
We've been grilling everything from salmon to chicken to steaks, even green beans. There'll be lots of grilling recipes over the summer, but today we're sharing a delicious Grilled Chicken Nicoise Salad that I created for the KitchenAid blog, the Kitchenthusiast.
The salad is a classic Nicoise salad with delicious grilled chicken in lieu of the traditional oil-cured tuna. Nicoise is a funny word, pronounced [niˈswaz]. It's a French word that simply means it comes from the area of France around the city of Nice, although it's common throughout Provence.
It typically includes olives, long, thin green beans, hard-boiled eggs and sometimes, anchovies and potatoes. I included the olives, beans, eggs and potatoes in mine, but utilized the anchovies in a delicious lemon-basil dressing instead of adding them to my Grilled Chicken Nicoise Salad.
This wonderful French-inspired Grilled Chicken Nicoise Salad is perfect for a light, summer meal and would make a lovely picnic. You can learn more about this wonderful salad and find the recipe over at The Kitchenthusiast, the official KitchenAid blog.
Disclaimer: This post was written in partnership with KitchenAid. The Café received compensation for it. All opinions, however, are definitely ours!
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Jill says
Where is the link to the Nicoise Salad? Did I miss it?
Cathy says
Hmmmm....recipe seems to be missing. Darn.
Sandra says
I can only imagine the delicious meals you're going to create from your garden! It's so obvious that Scott puts his heart and soul into everything he does, the garden is beautiful. Thanks for the recipe we're eating lots of main dish salads these days and I know this one will be fantastic.
Laura | Tutti Dolci says
I love a big salad when it's too hot to cook, this is perfect!
Karen C says
Hi, Chris, that is a beautiful garden, I have raised beds, as well. Can you please tell me what is the small tube sticking up with the white band around it for? It looks like you have put some sort of support braces on the ground and up against the raised bed? Are you using a drip system?
Jennifer @ Seasons and Suppers says
Wow! I'm seriously jealous of your kitchen garden 🙂 Can't wait to follow your garden to table journey!
Christina Bagdazian says
Perfection- you both have the "eye" for design! I made sure my husband saw it just in case his green thumb starts twitching.
Chris Scheuer says
Ha Ha! I love it Christina! Maybe he will get the "itch"!
Susan says
That Scott definitely has a lot of creativity in him, Chris! You are such a wonderful pair together with your culinary skills 🙂 We are facing some of the same issues as you with some very old, mature pine trees that are not as pretty as they were when we first moved into our home shortly after we were first married. Garden to table is going to be so much fun to watch here 😉 The salad looks amazing!
Robyn @ Simply Fresh Dinners says
Such a perfect meal to celebrate your new gardens, Chris! I'm so excited for you! You will have so much fun growing your own produce and I'm looking forward to seeing your gorgeous creations. It's so inspiring to walk around watching your food grow and imagining what you will do with it. Great job to you and Scott!
Shashi @ RunninSrilankan says
Wow - Scot surely worked his magic on y'alls back yard because just that little corner is gorgeous, Chris! And speaking of gorgeous - so is that grill - what a thing of beauty - and (the beauty doesn't stop today) so is that dressing with basil, lemon, anchovy and mustard. A simple and delicious meal!
And thanks for helping me figure out how to say NICOISE correctly - Ive been saying it all wrong all this time! 🙂
Katherine | Omnivore's Cookbook says
I love everything about this post! Simply screams summer! Thanks for sharing.
Chris Scheuer says
You're absolutely welcome Katherine!
John/Kitchen Riffs says
Wow, what a pretty garden! Scott is really talented -- that looks awesome. You'll really enjoy growing your own veggies. And we'll really enjoy this great dish you've made for us. Nice twist in a classic salad -- very clever. Thanks!
Angie@Angie's Recipes says
Awesome! I want to just live in your back yard garden, Chris. Thumbs up for you two amazing folks!
The salad looks magnificent!
Sara says
What an amazing garden, I am so jealous!!! And the salad looks delicious, the perfect summer lunch!
Anne@ASaladForAllSeasons says
Beautiful salad, Chris! But wow! What a beautiful garden! I recently bought a townhouse and have a teeny yard. But I bought a couple of raised bed planters that I've yet to put together! Does Scott make house calls? Your vegetables are growing quite nicely and I look forward to seeing them in your many yummy recipes!
Abbe@This is How I Cook says
What a wonderful surprise! Manservant always leaves in the middle of projects so how nice to see one that is finished! What a gorgeous garden and I love the idea of lights! Great job, Scott and Chris this salad id extraordinary!
cheri says
Wow Chris! Scott did a wonderful job designing and building your raised beds, everything looks healthy and happy. Beautiful salad, so clever to use chicken, love the color of the dressing.
Tricia @ Saving room for dessert says
Wow Scott did an amazing job on your raised beds. I'll have to show my husband and perhaps we will have to up our game! So glad you have vegetables to harvest. We were so late getting our garden in but will enjoy fresh produce well into September. Love a good Nicosia Salad and this one looks amazing. That grill - ooh man! That looks wonderful - can't wait to see what you cook up for us!
Monique says
Like his photos..these raised beds are absolute perfection..LUCKY you guys.
We need approvals for ANY tree cutting..the town has to come and approve..
no insecticides and no watering..
So that leaves us w/ brown grass right now and starving beds that I cannot reach or have the energy for by hand.
I know you will not like this..but I am covetous right now:)
You two are just made to blog about beautiful food..and much more:)
Covetous about the raised beds:)
Debra Eliotseats says
I love your gardens. I especially love the color of your bog bowl. I hate to give up on a tree as well. We have a row of Thujas dividing our property from our neighbors and many of the tops have died. If there's any green on them anywhere, I beg for them to stay.
What a fabulous looking salad!
Catherine says
Dear Chris, Your backyard is beautiful and your garden is simply wonderful. How nice everything looks and the best are the lights so you may enjoy the garden in the evening.
Great recipe to share as well. xo Catherine
sue|theviewfromgreatisland says
This is the picture of perfect summer dining, I want to sit right down and dig in, and the grill is to-die-for!! But by far the most exciting part of this post is that amazing garden, I'm beyond jealous, send Scott over to my house 🙂
Ginny Hartzler says
This looks divine! I have never seen this recipe with chicken instead of tuna! But I think I may like it better. Despite what happened with them, I bet it was a sad time when those trees went down! We bought our house partly because of the huge maple in the front yard, and after many years had to cut it down. I couldn't believe how much light came into the living room after it was gone! Is your kitchen lighter now? I cannot wait to see your finished project!