Jun 16, 2008
This is an interesting, tasty recipe; I'm so glad I tried it! I made it last night because the ingredient mix was not a familiar taste combination to me. Also, I wanted to make enough to share with a neighbor who had been very helpful to me during some recent medical problems and now had some of her own.
I made the recipe as written, though I used extra virgin olive oil (2/3rds cup), 1 1/2 Tbs regular balsamic vinegar, and added a bit more lime juice (didn't have lemon) after tasting. In my mind this is not a big change to the recipe. Used the fresh herbs, rather than dried, as listed. The dressing tasted a bit odd, but other reviewers said to try it. I cut up two boneless skinless chicken breasts into fairly small slivers rather than chunks, then pan fried a few minutes, added some water, covered, and cooked through. Drained the juice (saved for my cats) then refrigerated the chicken. Julienned English cucumber with a small V-Slicer Plus mandoline (available from BB&B), chopped the kalamatas, and chopped some oil-packed sundried tomatoes. Made 1 cup couscous in only 1 cup water with some butter and Herb-Ox dried chicken bouillon powder. Turned out fine.
Mixed it all up and tasted. Needed some more salt and pepper. Then added about a cup of chopped oil-packed artichoke hearts and tasted again. Great! Served over chopped lettuce.
My neighbor and her husband really enjoyed it, wanted the recipe for herself, and my husband wanted seconds.
—Sylvia S.
