Villandry Salad with Roast Chicken, Green Beans and Beets

 

When I was going to school in London a few years ago, a bunch of us would usually get lunch at a place around the corner from us called Villandry. They had pretty pastries and imported foods and other gifty things, along with a really, really good salad bar. I would get pretty much exactly the same salad every time: arugula with chicken, green beans and beets. I don't know how I managed to gain so much weight in London if I was eating salad all the time (oh wait... it might have been all the junk food I was eating before and after the salad. Delicious British junk food...)

Courtesy of Villandry Grand Café

I'm not sure what got me reminiscing about Villandry recently, but it made me want to recreate the salad - an easy task, since I used to say all the ingredients to the salad bar attendant every day. I like that the ingredients are easy to get at the store and it can be eaten as a meal since the chicken provides some protein. 

What I like most about this salad, and probably why I kept ordering the same thing every time, is the harmony of flavours; the bitter pepperiness of the arugula is offset by the sweet earthiness of the beets, and the butteriness of the roast chicken is balanced by the snappy freshness of the green beans. You can really dig in and feel totally satisfied afterwards. A thing of beauty.

 

Villandry Salad with Roast Chicken, Green Beans and Beets

Serves 1-2, adjust ingredients to make as much as you want

A few handfuls of arugula

1 small/medium beetroot, washed, boiled until tender (30-40 minutes), then cooled, peeled, and sliced.

A handful of steamed green beans (I used frozen and steamed them in the microwave)

About 2/3 cup pieces from a store-bought rotisserie chicken

A pinch of salt and pepper

Dressing: 3 tablespoons olive oil and 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar, whisked together

Toss all the ingredients together and add salt, pepper or dressing to taste.