Red Bean Rapini Chicken Salad
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
A robust salad blending rapini, canned kidney beans, grilled chicken breasts seasoned with fennel seeds and smoked paprika. Tomatoes and onions grill till tender, lending a sweet char. Dressing is lemon juice and olive oil, bright and simple. A pinch of chili flakes adds heat. Quick blanching keeps rapini crisp, cooling in ice water anchors the color and crunch. Chicken marinated briefly; gets smoky from grill heat. Forget overcooking, watch color and feel the spring of rapini stalks. Bocconcini optional for creaminess. A savory, smoky-sour-tangy combo; fresh, vibrant, rustic.
Prep:
Cook:
Total:
Servings:
4 servings
#Mediterranean
#grilled chicken
#vegetable salad
#quick meals
#healthy eating
Blanch rapini quick. A snap to keep the bitterness balanced and color fresh. Beans bring heft; no soaking needed here. Lemon and oil brighten and tie. Chicken gets a smoky twist with smoked paprika and cracked fennel seed. Both spices push aroma hard, fennel’s slight sweetness clashing with pepper flakes’ heat. Grill is key; that sizzle, plumes of smoke, browned edges. Tomatoes and onions char a bit, add sweetness and bite. I swapped canned kidney beans from usual black beans—more body but similar earthiness. Bocconcini optional; creamy contrast but skipping keeps salad lighter. Tried once with garlic in oil—overpowering. Plain lemon-olive shines better. Don’t fuss with marinating hours, acid damages texture quick. Perfect for leftovers or a busy weeknight, quick to assemble, fresh to the last bite ..
Ingredients
- 1 large bunch rapini approx 400 g, trimmed
- 1 can 400 ml kidney beans, rinsed drained
- 40 ml lemon juice approx 2 2/3 tablespoons
- 45 ml olive oil 3 tablespoons
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, halved horizontally
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon coarsely cracked fennel seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 4 plum tomatoes, quartered
- 2 medium red onions, thinly sliced into wedges
- Salt and black pepper
- Mini mozzarella balls optional
About the ingredients
Rapini can be pesky with bitterness; fresh and firm stalks matter. Trim off thicker ends or very woody bits to avoid chew. If small or tender, trim less. Substitute kale (stems removed) if rapini unavailable—just blanch a minute longer. Use canned kidney beans drained well; rinsing cuts canned salt and tin flavor. Cannellini or chickpeas swap fine but change texture and taste. Chicken breasts halved thin cuts cooking evenly. Smoked paprika is crucial, sweet and rich, falling back to regular paprika means loss of depth; add bit more chili flakes then. Fennel seeds crushed give sweet anise note, whole seeds will pop unpredictably when eating—so crush or grind. Tomatoes can be plum or Roma; avoid watery beefsteaks here. Red onions add sweetness grilling, yellow could work but sweeter taste shifts flavor. Olive oil extra virgin best quality; lemon juice fresh, no bottled for brightness. Bocconcini cheese optional for cream dimension, can replace with crumbled feta for saltier tang, or skip for dairy-free.
Method
- Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Drop rapini and cook until just tender-crisp about 3 minutes. Should still have bite. Listen for boil’s roar slowing.
- Plunge immediately into a bowl of icy water to stop cooking and keep vibrant green. Drain well shaking off excess water. Roughly chop.
- In a wide bowl toss rapini with drained beans. Add 25 ml lemon juice and 25 ml olive oil. Season lightly; let sit while prepping chicken.
- Heat grill or grill pan very hot. Oil grate to avoid sticking.
- In separate bowl combine chicken halves with remaining lemon juice and oil. Sprinkle paprika, fennel seeds, crushed chili flakes, salt and pepper. Massage spices in. Five minutes marinade max or acid starts cooking chicken prematurely.
- Lightly brush tomatoes and onions with olive oil and scatter salt and pepper.
- Grill chicken 4-5 minutes each side. Look for defined grill marks, internal juices running clear when poked. Don't rush turning or piercing.
- While chicken cooks, place tomatoes and onions alongside on grill. They need about 7-8 minutes, turning once. Watch for char spots here and there, softening edges, but not mushy.
- Remove vegetables and let cool slightly. Combine with rapini and beans carefully so tomatoes don’t burst.
- Adjust seasoning with salt, pepper, extra lemon or olive oil if needed. Toss gently.
- Serve salad on large platter with chicken arranged on top or alongside. Scatter mini mozzarella balls if using for creaminess.
- If no grill, sear chicken in hot cast iron or broil under oven until just opaque throughout. Grill veggies on stovetop pan with slight char or roast in oven 200C until softened and blistered.
- Leftovers keep well sealed in fridge for 24 hours but flavors mellow.
Cooking tips
Boiling rapini too long turns it bitter and limp. Aim for bright green and just firm—not floppy. Ice bath after cooking stops pigment oxidation and ruins texture if skipped. Tossing dressing early lets flavours mingle but do gently to not mash beans or tomatoes. Keep juices in bowl; use remnants as salad dressing base later. For chicken, don’t let acid marinade exceed 10 minutes or texture’ll degrade, turn mushy. Apply spices well; don’t just sprinkle cold chicken—mixing in bowl or bag so flavors coat. Grill hotter rather than medium to get crisp edges fast without drying interior. Turn once only per side—flip too much wastes heat and sizzles. When grilling vegetables, oil and salt lightly first; watch closely as sugar caramelizes and get chars fast. Tomato skins should blister but not collapse. Onions soften to sweet translucent, with grill flavor. Serving tip: plate salad then top or surround with chicken so presentation counts. Watch leftover storage closely; lemon and oil dressing can quicken wilt; keep it cold sealed.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Blanch rapini just right. Watch for bright green - not limp or bitter. Boil roaring then slow down, about 3 minutes max. Ice bath crucial. Stops cooking, locks color, keeps crunch. No skipping. Chop roughly after draining - too fine turns mushy later. Adds texture contrast with beans.
- 💡 Chicken marinate short time max five minutes. Acid breaks down meat fast otherwise turns mushy or chewy. Massage spices in well—paprika and fennel crushed release aroma on contact but don’t powder. Grill hot so edges char quickly, trapping juices inside. Turn sides only once or twice. Patience here pays off.
- 💡 Tomatoes and onions on grill alongside chicken. Brushed olive oil and salt, watch closely. Sugar caramelizes fast, char spots appear suddenly. Want blistered skins, not collapsed mush. Onions soften, sweet translucent, add bite with mild bitterness from rapini. Timing is tight - about 7 to 8 minutes turning once only.
- 💡 Dressing built in parts after cooking. Mix lemon juice and olive oil with beans and rapini first, season lightly. Toss gently when adding veggies so tomatoes hold shape. Keep juices from bowl for later dressing - adds concentrated flavor boost. Stirring early too rough breaks beans or bursts tomatoes, turns salad sloppy.
- 💡 Bocconcini or mini mozzarella balls optional but adds creaminess contrast. Can swap feta crumbled for saltier tang, or skip entirely for dairy-free. If rapini not available, kale stems removed works, but blanch a minute longer. Kidney beans rinsed well to cut canned salt and tin flavor. Variations affect texture and balance.
Common questions
How long to blanch rapini?
About three minutes. Watch water boil roar slow down. Need crisp tender not soft bitter. Ice bath stops cooking fast. Skip ice bath ends limp rapini and dull green.
Can I marinate chicken longer?
No longer than five minutes. Acid in lemon juice cooks meat early, texture goes bad fast. If marinade too long chicken gets mushy. Could skip acid but then less flavor.
What if no grill?
Sear chicken in hot cast iron pan or broil in oven. Grill tomatoes and onions in stovetop pan for char or roast at 200 Celsius until softened and blistered. Timing varies but watch for visual and smell cues mostly.
How to store leftovers?
Keep in sealed container cold fridge only 24 hours max. Lemon oil dressing wilts greens fast so eat soon. Could store components separately but often salad loses crispness quickly.
