Adapted from Epicurious.

2 medium tomatoes, cut into 1/4 inch thick slices
3 cups water
1 whole chicken breast with skin and bones (about 1 1/4 pounds)
1 yellow onion, sliced
10 whole cloves
2 teaspoons salt
4 Yukon Gold potatoes
1/2 pound green beans, trimmed and halved
1/2 cup Kalamata or other brine-cured black olives, pitted and chopped coarse
1/2 medium red onion, cut lengthwise into thin strips
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary leaves
1 teaspoon dried oregano, crumbled
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
3 cups lettuce (I used butter lettuce)

Several hours before you plan to serve this, arrange tomatoes in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet and dry tomatoes in a low oven (170 degrees) until medium-dry. (I do this overnight, or early in the morning and then use the tomatoes for supper. Great way to use up CSA tomatoes or when tomatoes are in abundance from the garden or the farmer’s market in the summer.)

In a medium saucepan combine water, chicken, yellow onion, cloves, and 1 teaspoon salt and bring water to a boil. Poach chicken, covered, over moderately low heat until cooked through, about 15 minutes. Remove pan from heat and cool chicken in cooking liquid to room temperature. Remove chicken and tear meat into bite-size pieces. Reserve poaching liquid for another use. Peel and slice potatoes. In a saucepan combine potatoes, remaining teaspoon salt, and water to cover by 1 inch and bring water to a boil. Cook potatoes 10 minutes, or until just tender. Transfer potatoes with a slotted spoon to a colander and rinse under cold water to stop cooking. In same boiling water cook green beans 3 to 5 minutes, or until crisp-tender, and drain in colander with potatoes. Simmer tomatoes 2 minutes, or until softened, and drain. Cut tomatoes into thin strips. In a large bowl combine chicken, potatoes, green beans, tomatoes, and remaining ingredients except lettuces and toss to combine well. Season salad with salt and pepper and serve over lettuces.


This is fine for a light meal but the flavors would have been better if the chicken had been grilled instead of poached, and the potatoes and green beans roasted. You won’t need a lot of fat doing things that way, a tablespoon or so of oil would suffice for each, but what a difference it would make!