Lemon Chicken Pittsburgh Salad

I'm super excited to post my first recipe for the month - my take on the classic Pittsburgh salad.  For those of you not from the glorious three rivers area, a Pittsburgh salad typically includes lettuce, tomatoes, hard boiled eggs, meat (especially steak), FRENCH FRIES, and is covered in cheese. And then ranch dressing.  It's a staple at most diners, and pretty much encapsulates the Pittsburgh attitude about food.
"What's dat, healthy? Eh, put some a dem french fries on tawp n'at."
It's is really hard to type in Pittsburghese, but if you're not familiar go watch some Greg and Donny and you'll get the gist.

Big bowl of YES.

This is Eat 'n Park's version. Yummy!

So my version is probably no healthier, but it certainly was delicious!  I combined a lemon chicken recipe I've used many a time with freshly made fries, mint, tomatoes, and goat milk feta cheese for a mediterranean take on this Pittsburgh favorite.

Lemon Chicken Pittsburgh Salad serves 2

Ingredients:1/3 cup white sugar
2 cups warm water
2 large potatoes - peeled, and sliced into thin strips
3 Tbsp lemon juice, plus 1 T extra
3 Tbsp olive oil, plus 1 T extra
2 sprigs mint, chopped
½ Tbsp minced garlic
½ Tbsp paprika
1 Tbsp cumin
1 boneless, skinless chicken breast
1 cup Goat milk feta or halloumi cheese
Half a bag romaine or spinach
10 cherry tomatoes
3 cups canola oil for frying

To prepare:

1. In a medium bowl, mix together the lemon juice, olive oil, half a sprig of the mint, garlic, paprika, and cumin. Pierce thawed chicken breast with a knife all over and let sit in marinade for 10 minutes.

2. In another bowl, dissolve the sugar in warm water. Soak cut potatoes in water mixture for 15 minutes. Remove from water, and dry thoroughly on paper towels.

3. Cook chicken breast in a skillet with some of the marinade mixture as well as the extra tablespoon of lemon juice and olive oil, making sure to cook throughout. You can cut the chicken in smaller pieces for faster cooking time, and I generally cover for the first 5-8 minutes to cook thoroughly and lock in juices before browning with the open skillet.

4. Pour in remaining marinade and add 3 cups of canola oil. Heat to 375 degrees. Add fries in batches and cook until golden, about 5-6 minutes. Drain on paper towels.

5. Layer lettuce, tomatoes, remaining mint, chicken, and fries in two dishes. Grate cheese on top and serve with vinaigrette.

Mint Vinaigrette

Ingredients:
6 Tbsp soybean oil (or olive oil - I ran out)
2 Tbsp rice vinegar
2 Tbsp chopped fresh mint
2 tsp Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp minced garlic

Whisk together ingredients in a bowl, or shake vigourously in a bottle.  Store in the fridge.

The Verdict:
Tastes awesome, but is definitely a project.  Maybe use frozen fries for a more time-friendly weeknight dinner?  I wasn't able to get halloumi at my local grocer (I know larger stores carry it) so I substituted with a goat milk feta.  It had a great consistency and added a lot of tangyness.  But I would like to try it with pan fried halloumi on top! Also, two potatoes worth of fries leaves enough for leftovers for two people.  Which my mom and I ate...with ranch dressing.  Hey, I'm from Pittsburgh!

Later gaters,
Cass