Italian Chicken Salad in Lettuce Cups

Ingredients

  • 4 cups coarsely shredded cooked chicken (I buy 3 large breasts boil them, let cool to touch and shred with fork or by hand)

  • 3/4 cup roasted red and/or yellow bell peppers, drained, patted dry, and chopped into bite size strips

  • 1/2 cup paper-thin half moon slices red onion, cut in half to bite size

  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves

  • 1/4 cup slivered almonds, toasted

  • 2 tablespoons drained capers

  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper

  • 1 to 2 heads of butter leaves, rinsed and dried

  • Shaved Parmesan cheese

Red Wine Vinaigrette Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup red wine vinegar

  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice

  • 1 teaspoons honey

  • 1 teaspoons salt

  • Freshly ground black pepper

  • 1/2 cup olive oil

Directions

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

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.

Spoon the chicken salad into the lettuce cups. Drizzle more vinaigrette over the salads. Sprinkle with the Parmesan and serve. I prefer to put bowl of chicken salad on large platter surrounded by lettuce cups and the extra vinaigrette and Parmesan cheese and let everyone serve themselves.

Do-Ahead Tip: The chicken salad can be prepared 4 hours ahead and refrigerated.

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