Chicken Salad With Fennel and Charred Dates

Ingredients

  • 2

    small fennel bulbs (about 2 pounds total), tough outer layers removed, fronds reserved, stalks thinly sliced, bulbs halved and thinly sliced through the root

  • 1

    shallot, thinly sliced

  • ¼

    cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (from 2 lemons), plus more to taste

  • Kosher salt and black pepper

  • 4

    cups shredded cooked chicken (about 1 pound)

  • ½

    cup extra-virgin olive oil

  • 8

    Medjool dates, pitted and quartered

  • 2

    teaspoons fennel or coriander seeds

  • ½

    teaspoon red-pepper flakes, plus more to taste

Preparation

  1. In a large bowl, toss together the sliced fennel, shallot and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper. Place the chicken on top, but don’t stir.
  2. In a medium (10-inch) skillet, heat the oil over medium. Add the dates and cook, stirring halfway through, until blistered in spots, 1 to 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, turn off the heat, then add the fennel seeds and red-pepper flakes. Swirl until sizzling and fragrant, then immediately pour the oil and dates over the chicken. Toss to combine. Taste and adjust with salt, pepper, red-pepper flakes and lemon juice. Top with some torn fennel fronds.

Dining and Cooking