Grilled chicken, haloumi and zucchini salad

I just uploaded this picture, and it makes me want to cook this dish right now and eat it. Maybe I'll make it for lunch.

I made this for the man-of-the-house and myself for our evening meal a few nights ago. Luckily I happened to have lots of yummy ingredients in the fridge and pantry that I was able to combine in this salad, such as haloumi cheese, olives and ripe avocado - three of my very favourite foods to eat. 

I think maybe I had a hankering to eat something green; sometimes that happens to me, I just need to sit and eat a large bowl of salad. Maybe it is my body's way of getting the vitamins and minerals I need. Either way, this salad hit to spot. I added in some fresh peppermint and basil and made a lemony dressing really add some 'zing' to the flavours. Very, very tasty indeed.

What you'll need

Serves two as a main meal

2 medium chicken breasts

8 seedless green olives

1 zucchini, sliced into 1cm round pieces

1 medium ripe avocado, de-stoned, peeled and thickly sliced

Handful each of fresh peppermint and basil leaves

200g packet haloumi cheese, sliced into about 12 pieces

2 handfuls chopped lettuce, I used iceberg

Olive oil for cooking the chicken

For the dressing

Juice and zest of 1 lemon

1/3 cup olive oil

1/4 cup white wine vinegar

Salt and pepper

What to do

Heat a pan over medium heat. Add a little oil. Once it is hot, add the chicken breast. If your chicken breast has skin, cook the skin-side first. Place a lid over the pan and cook the chicken on one side for about 8 minutes. Turn and cook on the other side for the same time. Season with salt and pepper. Once cooked, set aside and keep warm. 

Carefully wipe out your pan with some paper towel. Reheat it, and add a few teaspoons of oil to the pan. Once the oil is hot, add the zucchini slices to the pan. Cook for a few minutes on each side until golden brown. Season well with salt and pepper. Once cooked, set aside and keep warm.

Again wipe out your pan with some paper towel. Reheat the pan. Once hot, add the haloumi cheese. Cook for a few minutes on each side until the cheese is browned. Remove from the pan and assemble the salad.

Using a sharp knife, slice each chicken breast into about 6 six pieces.

On a plate, place the lettuce.  Arrange all the other ingredients - the chicken pieces, avocado, olives, haloumi and zucchini over the lettuce. Sprinkle over the peppermint and basil leaves.

Make the dressing by combining the lemon juice, zest, olive oil and vinegar in a lidded glass jar. Give it a good shake to combine and drizzle generously over the salad. 

* You shouldn't need to season the salad further as the haloumi and olives are salty and the chicken and zucchini was seasoned during cooking.

Serve immediately with a glass of white wine and some crusty bread if you like.