IT IS AMAZING.

Every ingredient is so well thought out, each delivering a unique flavor and/or texture.

This chopped salad begins with a base of orzo pasta and builds from there. Check out the ingredients below.

The ingredients laid out above will make a gigantic crowd-worthy salad. Easily enough to feed 8 people as a meal, more as a side dish. We’ll be eating on it for days and I’m okay with that!

The Ingredients

• Orzo pasta – cooked, drained and cooled
• Boneless skinless chicken breasts – grilled and cubed
• Spinach and radicchio – julienned
• Tomatoes – diced
• Black olives – sliced
• Sundried tomatoes – chopped
• Pine nuts – lightly toasted
• Capers – drained
• Parmesan cheese – shredded or shaved
• Roasted Garlic Lemon Vinaigrette – garlic, lemon, red wine vinegar, honey, olive oil, salt

The Process

• Roast garlic at 400 degrees for 45 minutes (see How to Oven Roast Garlic)
• Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package instructions
• Grill chicken breasts
• Slice and dice remaining ingredients
• When garlic is done, prepare vinaigrette
• Toss and serve

Right before serving, toss the salad with the Roasted Garlic Lemon Vinaigrette. The wonderful thing about this salad (and vinaigrette) is that it holds up nicely in warm weather. This might be my favorite picnic salad yet!

This Insalata Chicken Florentine also keeps well. We literally will eat on this for three days and it’s just as good as the very first bite.

Are there recipes that remind you of a favorite vacation that you’d like to see us recreate? I’d love for you to comment below. Your feedback is so important to me (and keeps the recipe love fresh).

Don’t forget to follow us @LemonyThyme on Instagram and Facebook! And check out our latest TikTok videos and Pinterest boards too!

All my best,
xo Libby

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Insalata Chicken Florentine (Macaroni Grill Copycat)

This crowd-pleaser salad is amazing! Every ingredient is so well thought out, each delivering a unique flavor and/or texture.

Course Entree, Salad Entree

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes minutes

Servings 8

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts grilled and cubed
• 1 pound orzo pasta cooked, drained, cooled
• 5 ounces fresh spinach julienned
• 1 head radicchio julienned
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes halved
• 1 cup black olives sliced
• 1 cup sun-dried tomatoes chopped
• 1 cup pine nuts lightly toasted
• 3.5 ounce jar capers drained
• 4 ounces Parmesan cheese shredded or shaved
• 1 cup Roasted Garlic Lemon Vinaigrette see recipe link in post

Instructions

• Grill chicken and cut into bite-sized pieces. Prepare orzo according to package instructions. Drain and cool. Julienne, slice or chop remaining ingredients. Place all ingredients in a large salad bowl. Toss with vinaigrette. Garnish with additional parmesan cheese.

The post Insalata Chicken Florentine (Copycat Macaroni Grill) appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

Happy Monday!

Monday. The day I peer into my fridge and decide which leftovers from the weekend can be given a new outlook on life.

Kind of the way I give myself a new outlook on life. Mondays are my chance to reset. To start the week off right and forgive myself for veering off course by getting back to good intentions.

We had a glorious family-filled weekend.

Our whole crew came together to celebrate Will’s Birthday (21) with an Italian feast.

We started with an appetizer spread of 7-Layer Hot Italian Dip, Marinated Olives, Bruschetta, fresh mozzarella and pesto sauce, followed by a wonderful dinner of Chicken Parmesan, Caesar salad, and garlic bread.

Today I’m turning the leftover garlic bread, bruschetta, fresh mozzarella & basil into Bruschetta Panzanella Salad. Toasted bread cubes tossed with tomatoes, onion, cheese, herbs and balsamic vinaigrette.

It’s super simple, yet this rustic salad has so much flavor shining through.

Don’t forget to follow us @LemonyThyme on Instagram and Facebook! And check out our latest TikTok videos and Pinterest boards too!

All my best,
xo Libby

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Bruschetta Panzanella Salad

Day old bread, fresh tomatoes & bruschetta salad, fresh mozzarella and basil, red onion & grapes. Layers of flavor that really come together in this Bruschetta Panzanella Salad.

Course Salad

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Author Libby with Lemony Thyme

Ingredients

For the Balsamic Vinaigrette

• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 1 clove garlic minced
• salt & pepper to taste

For the Salad

• 3 cups large cubed day old crusty bread
• 1 cup bruschetta tomato sald (or sliced cherry tomatoes)
• 1/2 cup fresh mozzarella cut or torn into pieces
• 1/4 cup red onion thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup red seedless grapes halved
• 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves

Instructions

For the Balsamic Vinaigrette

• Combine vinaigrette ingredients in a jar with a lid and shake until well combined.

For the Salad

• Preheat oven to 350° F. Place cubed bread on baking sheet and toast for 10 minutes until crunchy.
• Add toasted bread cubes and remaining salad ingredients into a large bowl. Toss with 2 Tablespoons Balsamic Vinaigrette to begin. Add more to taste, tossing well between additions. Allow salad to sit for 15 minutes before serving.

Even the leftover cake is going to get repurposed. Cake Pops here we come!!

The post Bruschetta Panzanella Salad appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

Huge Meatball Fan.

That’s me.

I’m forever pondering the possibilities.

If you’re ever looking for meatball inspiration check out my favorite recipes here.

My latest classic dish turned into a meatball lovefest are Chicken Piccata Meatballs.

Take all those Chicken Piccata comforting flavors and roll them up into meatball heaven. Enter capers, Parmesan cheese, lemon, garlic, fresh parsley. Oh and then let them bathe in a glorious caper butter wine sauce to soak in even more deliciousness.

Meatball Ingredients

Key ingredient: ground chicken.

Clearly not the most exciting or renowned for flavor.

On its own you could say it’s rather bland and underwhelming. But what it brings to a recipe is a wonderful moist texture and mild taste that begs for big punchy flavor. Welcome capers, lemon zest, garlic and parmesan cheese.

The Process

Combine all the meatball ingredients except the ground chicken, then gently fold in the meat being careful not to overwork the mixture.

Roll into uniform sized meatballs – I was able to get 20 meatballs.

Recipe Note

Recipe Note: I made these meatballs Gluten Free by simply substituting GF Panko Breadcrumbs for traditional in the meatballs and Arrowroot in place of flour in the sauce.

Below is a pic of some of my current pantry staple favorites. Ian’s Gluten Free Panko is fantastic. So much so that we’ve replaced traditional panko in our home with it.

Working in batches, gently brown the meatballs in olive oil and remove to a plate. The meatballs will finish cooking in the sauce before serving.

Because this recipe includes a delicious lemon butter caper wine sauce I recommend serving the Chicken Piccata Meatballs over rice or pasta (I chose cauliflower rice) or with a big hunk of crusty bread.

These Chicken Piccata Meatballs are juicy and bursting with mouthwatering flavors. They’re amazing straight out of the pan or warmed up for lunch the next day!

Don’t forget to follow us @LemonyThyme on Instagram, TikTok and Facebook!

Enjoy!

All my best,
xo Libby

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Chicken Piccata Meatballs

All those comforting flavors – capers, lemon, garlic, parmesan – rolled into mouthwatering meatballs that are simmered in a delicious caper butter wine sauce.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Italian

Keyword Chicken Parmesan, Meatballs

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Ingredients

For the Meatballs

• 1 pound Ground Chicken
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
• 1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley chopped
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 2 Tbl capers chopped
• 1 Tbl lemon zest
• 1/2 teaspoon Garlic & Herb Seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• olive oil for sauteing

For the Pan Sauce

• 3 Tbl. butter divided
• 1 Tbl. Flour or Arrowroot
• 1/4 cup white wine
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 2 Tbl. fresh lemon juice
• 3 Tbl. capers + 1 Tbl. brine
• salt & pepper to taste

Instructions

For the Meatballs

• Combine all meatball ingredients except ground chicken in a medium bowl. Gently fold in ground chicken until just combined being careful not to overwork mixture.
• Form mixture into unform sized meatballs, roughly 20. Heat skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches, saute meatballs in olive oil until golden brown on all sides. Remove from pan.

For the Pan Sauce

• Melt 1 Tbl. butter in skillet, then dust with 1 Tbl. flour (or Arrowroot), whisk until foamy. Whisk in wine and bring to a simmer, then whisk in chicken broth, lemon juice, capers and return to a gentle simmer. Stir in remaining butter and return meatballs to pan. Simmer 5 minutes to complete cooking.
• Serve meatballs over rice or pasta or with a hunk of crusty bread. Enjoy!

The post Chicken Piccata Meatballs Are A Favorite appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

As the hot summer weather approaches we’ll be looking for some cool & simple dinner options.  Two ripe avocados and herb pots blooming with fresh flavors were the inspiration for this Quartered Salad {with Fresh Herb Vinaigrette}.  Here’s a sneak peek at this year’s herb gardens.

Not only do fresh herbs transform a simple vinaigrette but they can bring unexpected bursts of flavor to a salad.  Pinch off a few leaves and toss them in with your salad greens or sprinkle them over the top of a chopped salad.  You’ll be pleasantly surprised.

Our Quartered Salad simply consisted of ripe avocado, Roma tomatoes, cooked baby red potatoes, crispy fried capers, fresh herbs and homemade vinaigrette dressing.

Our Herb Vinaigrette began with a small diced shallot, 1 tsp. Dijon mustard, salt & pepper, 2-3 Tbl. minced fresh herbs (we used chives, tarragon, and lemony thyme) and 2 Tbl. white wine vinegar.  The key to emulsifying a vinaigrette is to slowly whisk in your oil in a fine stream, about 5-6 Tbl. total or until the flavor is balanced.

This Quartered Salad {with Fresh Herb Vinaigrette} was a wonderful dinner on the patio side dish, but would also make a beautiful appetizer to share.

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Quartered Salad {with Herb Vinaigrette}

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 15 minutes minutes

Servings 3 -4

Author Libby with Lemony Thyme

Ingredients

For the salad…

• 2 ripe avocados quartered
• 2 Roma tomatoes quartered
• 6 baby red potatoes cooked and quartered
• 2 Tbl. capers
• 2 Tbl. olive oil for frying capers
• fresh herb leaves such as lemony thyme, tarragon, chives
• salt & pepper

For the vinaigrette…

• 1 small shallot finely diced
• 1 tsp. Dijon mustard
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. black pepper
• 2-3 Tbl. minced fresh herbs such as lemony thyme, tarragon, chives
• 2 Tbl. white wine vinegar
• 5-6 Tbl. olive oil

Instructions

For the salad…

• Boil baby red potatoes until just fork tender. Drain and cool slightly. Cut into quarters.
• Meanwhile, pan fry capers in olive oil until crispy, about 3-4 minutes. Drain on paper towels. Cut avocados in half, remove pit and scoop out flesh. Cut into quarters. Quarter Roma tomatoes.
• Place potatoes, avocados and tomatoes on a platter. Sprinkle with crispy capers, fresh herbs and salt & pepper.

For the vinaigrette…

• In a small bowl add diced shallot, Dijon, salt, pepper, herbs and vinegar. Slowly whisk in olive oil in a thin stream. Continue whisky until vinaigrette has emulsified.
• Drizzle lightly over salad.

The post Quartered Salad {with Herb Vinaigrette} appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

That qualifies this as a great week night meal.

It’s been nearly a week since my last new recipe share.  Seems like an eternity to me.  I’ve been a bit preoccupied. 

Truth be told I’ve been trying to avoid dreaming about food and instead jump starting a Healthy Choices campaign. 

By ‘campaign’ I mean personal, no worries…I’m not going to solicit you to jump on my band wagon.  It’s just that I needed to get a solid week of “Eat Right and Exercise” under my belt….which I have successfully accomplished.

Chicken Piccata, while it looks absolutely decadent in a picture, is a deliciously light and flavorful dish.  Follow along and I’ll share the super simple process.

For the Chicken

• First begin with boneless skinless chicken breasts that have been trimmed of any fat. 
• Place chicken between two pieces of plastic wrap and pound to an even thickness, something less than 1/2-inch.  This one step will double if not triple the surface area of each piece.  Now cut these in half.
• I like a light breading on my piccata.  A simple dip into egg whites then into Italian bread crumbs does the trick. 
• If you have time, chill the breaded chicken for 10 – 15 minutes before browning.  This really helps the breading adhere to the chicken.

Recipe note:  I shared with my walking buddy last week some of the basic pantry/fridge/freezer staples that we generally keep on hand.  When boneless skinless chicken breasts go on sale, we will buy several packages.  I trim them, pound them slightly to a uniform thickness, then freeze them flat in quart sized freezer bags. 

In fact we freeze most things flat in freezer bags.  Once frozen they can be stacked or stood upright and take minimal space.  Ingredients also thaw more quickly this way.

For the Pan Sauce

• After browning the chicken, remove it from the skillet while you make the pan sauce. 
• I use a combination of chicken broth and white wine, however you may omit the wine if you choose. 
• Capers, fresh lemon juice, butter and fresh parsley bring the sauce together.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

To Serve

Because the pan sauce is so delicious you’ll want to serve your Chicken Piccata with a nice pasta, like Angel Hair or even on a bed of couscous or steamed broccoli.

Over the course of this past week I have been reminded how much I adore food.  Therefore I have also come back to the key to making Healthy Choices, which is portion control. 

One serving of Chicken Piccata over angel hair pasta with a side of Mushroom Thyme Hericot Verts was completely satisfying.  We enjoyed a restaurant quality meal at home with full control over calories.  That’s winning in my book.

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Chicken Piccata {over Angel Hair Pasta}

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Calories 298kcal

Author Libby with Lemony Thyme

Ingredients

For the piccata…

• 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts 6-8 ounces each
• 2 egg whites
• 1/2 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs
• 1 Tbl. olive oil

For the pan sauce…

• 2 Tbl. butter
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1/4 cup white wine
• 2 Tbl. fresh lemon juice
• 2-3 Tbl. capers
• salt & pepper to taste
• Fresh parsley finely chopped

To serve…

• Angel hair pasta prepared according to package instructions.
• Lemon slices

Instructions

For the piccata…

• Pound chicken to an even thickness (between plastic wrap), something less than 1/2-inch. Then cut each breast into two pieces. Dip pieces in egg white then dredge in bread crumbs. If time permits, chill before cooking to set crumbs.
• Spray sauté pan with cooking spray and add just enough olive oil to coat pan. Brown both sides over medium heat until cooked through. Remove from pan.

For the pan sauce…

• Wipe out any crumbs from sauté pan, then bring sauce ingredients to gentle boil for 3-4 minutes until reduced slightly. Season with salt & pepper to taste.

To serve…

• Place chicken piccata on each plate, with serving of angel hair. Spoon sauce over both. Serve with lemon slices and fresh parsley.

Notes

1 4-ounce serving of Chicken Piccata with Pan Sauce = 7 WW Pts+
1 1/2-ounces (dried) Angel Hair Pasta = 4 WW Pts+

The post Chicken Piccata {over Angel Hair Pasta} appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

Lightly beer battered fish nuggets, perched on crispy caper tartar sauce slathered onto thick cut chips.  Now that’s a mouthful of love.

We’ll call these our Fish & Chip Bites {with Crispy Caper Tartar Sauce}.  The perfect Friday night nibbles.

Our simple beer batter consisted of flour, corn starch, baking powder, salt and beer.  I wanted it to be light but also reminiscent of classic beer battered fish & chips.

This recipe is meant to be playful, one of my most favorite ways to present food.  It just happens to also be mighty tasty.  Crispy Caper Tartar Sauce played a big role in that.  So much so, that it deserved a recipe post of it’s own.  Because besides our beer battered fish nuggets, I would love to dunk Crispy Fried Shrimp in this fabulous sauce.

The post Fish & Chip Bites {with Crispy Caper Tartar Sauce} appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

It’s nice to have a knock your socks off tartar sauce recipe up your sleeve.  This Crispy Caper Tartar Sauce is sure to impress with the addition of anchovies, hard-boiled eggs and crispy fried capers.  Flavor wow!!

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Crispy Caper Tartar Sauce

Author Libby with Lemony Thyme

Ingredients

• 2 hard boiled egg peeled & finely chopped
• 1/4 cup capers
• 2 Tbl. olive oil for frying
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 2 Tbl. minced shallot
• 2 Tbl. minced parsley
• 1 tsp. anchovy paste
• 1/4 tsp. salt

Instructions

• Place eggs in small saucepan covered with water; cover with lid. Bring to a boil, then remove from the heat and let rest for 15 minutes. Drain and run under cold water for 2-3 minutes. Peel & finely chop.
• Heat olive oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Add capers and fry until crispy, 1-2 minutes. Drain on paper towels.
• Combine chopped eggs, crispy capers and remaining ingredients; refrigerate.

The post Crispy Caper Tartar Sauce appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

My birthday week is officially winding down.  It began last Saturday with a wonderful dinner, made especially for me.  I have for three years in a row now requested that one of my favorite dishes, is made for my birthday dinner, Beef Carpaccio.  And so because I believe that after three repeats of an event it becomes a tradition, Beef Carpaccio is now a Birthday Tradition.

When making Beef Carpaccio you’ll want to spring for a filet mignon that has been cut from beef tenderloin.  Yes it’s pricey but one filet, when sliced very thinly, will go much farther.  Here are the keys to making this extra special dish:

• Buy the freshest piece of beef you can find, preferably cut to order from the butcher.
• Filet Mignon is a very lean cut, however trim any visible fat around the edges.  Dry filet with paper towels.
• Heat a tablespoon of high heat oil (such as canola or coconut) in a skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering.
• Sear filet on all sides (including edges) for about 20 seconds per side.
• Place filet on plate and transfer to freezer for 30 minutes, which is necessary in order to slice it thinly.
• Meanwhile, prepare toppings of shaved parmesan cheese, pan-fried capers, thinly sliced scallion and fresh spinach.  We also serve ours with butter & garlic crostini.
• Remove filet from freezer.  Using a very sharp knife slice beef as thinly as possible.  Slices can then be placed between pieces of plastic wrap and pounded with a meat mallet for an even thinner result.
• Place slices on a chilled plate.  Top with fresh spinach massaged with a drizzle of olive oil, salt & freshly cracked black pepper, shaved parmesan cheese, scallions and crispy capers.  Serve with crostini.

It’s difficult to explain how buttery, tender and delicious each bite of beef is when prepared this way.  I understand that rare/raw beef isn’t for everyone.  Sashimi and Raw oysters weren’t for me until a few years ago, but now I approach them with appreciation and have learned to love them both.  The first step in exploring dishes outside my comfort zone is to focus on its flavor, texture, and overall palate appeal.  I’m not a candidate for one of those crazy, eat anything reality shows but I do want to sample delicacies with an open mind.  Or at least I feel that way now ;)

The post Beef Carpaccio {a Birthday Tradition} appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

Before I talk about this wonderful Lemon Basil Shrimp & Pasta dish, I must confess I’ve been keeping something from you.  I wasn’t sure when it would be the right time to tell you.  So I waited until I was sure we were in the clear.  It is with great pride and joy that I share the news.

We have babies.  Hydroponic Herb Babies.  And today was our first harvest, Basil.  We used the most tender delicious basil leaves in this Lemon Basil Shrimp & Pasta recipe I found in Cooking Light.

For Christmas we received the coolest gift, an Aero-Garden.  It came complete with seven herb-pods ready for ‘planting.’  I envisioned them transitioning from their water garden to our back porch pots in the Spring, so I waited to plant them until 6 weeks ago.  Here are some pictures of our journey.

What I’ve come to learn is that these herbs will thrive indoors all year round (er I should say any time of year).  You can harvest them for about 3 months before a new planting is in order.  They require very little attention (water and nutrients every couple of weeks and harvesting as needed).  For those of you who either don’t have the space to grow outdoors OR don’t think you have a green thumb for gardening, this might be for you.  And look what lovely dishes you can make with fresh herbs at your finger tips.

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Lemon Basil Shrimp & Pasta {and some exciting news}

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Author adapted from Cooking Light, April 2007

Ingredients

• 8 oz. linguine cooked
• 1 lb. medium shrimp peeled and deveined
• 1 Tbl. butter
• 2 Tbl. olive oil
• 3 Tbl. capers drained
• 2 Tbl. fresh lemon juice
• 1 scallion thinly sliced
• a generous handful of fresh basil leaves
• Sea salt
• freshly cracked pepper

Instructions

• Bring a large stock pot of water to boil. Add in linguine, cook according to package instructions.
• Meanwhile, in a large sauté pan, melt butter and olive oil over medium-low heat. Add in shrimp, capers, lemon juice, and scallions. Sauté shrimp for 3-4 minutes until pink and no longer opaque. Remove from heat. Add in strained pasta and basil leaves, toss to coat. Season with salt & pepper to taste.

The post Lemon Basil Shrimp & Pasta {and some exciting news} appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

Crab Louie Salad Sliders.

The Crab Louie Salad has been around for over 100 years and first became popular on the West Coast of the United States (or was it King Louie himself who first dined on this salad…the world may never know).  The salad consists of crisp lettuce, sliced tomato, hard boiled eggs, ripe olives, sometimes asparagus….and of course gorgeous crab meat which is tossed in Crab Louie Dressing.

Some time last summer I decided it would be fun to pay tribute to as many of the classic salads as I could recreate.  I’m checking them off one by one and have loved learning their history and discovering their flavor personalities.  One consistent theme is that most of these salads were born out of Eat Out of the Fridge/Pantry Weeks aka combining ingredients already on hand.  Having said that, for many of these classics we’ve given them a twist of our own.  We decided to serve our Crab Louie Salad over toasted buttered rolls.  Crab Louie Salad Sliders were fantastic and needed to be shared.

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Crab Louie Salad Sliders

Servings 2

Author Libby with Lemony Thyme

Ingredients

• 1 Romaine lettuce heart shredded
• 1 medium tomato sliced
• 1 hard boiled egg sliced
• 6-8 ripe black olives sliced
• 4-6 ounces crab meat
• 2 slider rolls buttered & toasted

Crab Louie Dressing…

• 2 Tbl. mayonnaise
• 2 Tbl. chili sauce
• 1 Tbl. grated onion
• 1 tsp. capers
• 1 tsp. lemon juice

Instructions

• Combine the dressing ingredients. Toss the crab meat in the dressing then layer the salad as follows: toasted roll, shredded lettuce, tomato slices, egg slices, olives, and dressed crab meat.

Here are some of our favorite classic salads.

Lunch Counter Chef’s Salad

Classic Cobb Salad

Grilled Caesar Salad

The Wedge Salad with Homemade Russian Dressing

Greek Salad

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