Lemon Vinaigrette | 20something cupcakes

Yes, it’s {yet another} arugula salad.

Clearly, I can’t get enough of the stuff.

When I’m serving it as a side salad or starter, I usually opt for the simplest preparation: a squeeze of lemon and a drizzle of oil, and perhaps a few shards of fresh Parmesan.

This salad is basically a juiced-up version of that. Instead, you’re just creating a dressing from those same ingredients. You can add cherry tomatoes, or whatever else your heart desires – maybe some red onion or oil-cured olives. The dressing gives it such a punch of flavor; I love that you can taste the Parmesan in every bite.

Arugula Salad with Lemon-Parmesan Dressing

Adapted from Bon Appétit

1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon peel
1 5-oz container baby arugula
1 cup halved cherry tomatoes

Blend first 4 ingredients in processor. Season dressing with salt and pepper. Transfer to bowl. Cover; chill up to 3 days. Combine arugula and tomatoes in large bowl. Toss with enough dressing to coat.

Serves 4 as a starter.

I love arugula.

And I love to enjoy it paired with a super-easy lemon vinaigrette. There’s something so perfect about the peppery flavor of the greens combined with the tartness of the fresh lemon juice.

It’s perfect alone as a simple side or starter salad, but here I’ve used it as a base for {yet another} chicken salad. Only this time, I’ve baked the chicken in the oven rather than grilling it or a using a purchased Rotisserie from the deli. And let me just tell you – when I baked the chicken just as described in the below recipe, I ended up with the most perfectly cooked chicken breasts. Ever. So incredibly juicy – and the mustard/thyme/Parmesan coating gave such great flavor.

As far as the Parmesan shavings go, adding them just seemed like the right thing to do – but it’s totally optional. The original recipe called for halved cherry tomatoes, so you could also try that – it would be a great way to add some more color to your plate.

Parmesan Chicken + Arugula Salad

{Roughly} adapted from Food & Wine

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 teaspoon chopped thyme

2 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

Salt and freshly ground pepper

1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1 package arugula leaves

Shavings of Parmesan cheese

For the lemon vinaigrette:

Juice from half a lemon

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Preheat the oven to 475°. In a small bowl, combine the mustard with the olive oil and thyme. Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper, then brush them all over with the mustard mixture. Pat the grated Parmesan all over each breast. Transfer the chicken breasts to a rimmed baking sheet (I cover mine with foil for easy clean-up).

Bake the chicken on the top shelf of the oven for about 15 minutes, or until just cooked through and nicely browned.

For the dressing, just whisk the mustard and lemon juice together in a small bowl and add the olive oil in a slow stream as you’re mixing. That’s it – now you have your lemon vinaigrette! How easy is that? Pour it over the arugula and mix well. Season with salt and lots of freshly-ground pepper.

For the Parmesan shavings, just take a block of Parmesan (I buy a huge one at Costco because I like the good Parmigiano-Reggiano and it’s a little pricey), and create thin shavings along its side using a vegetable peeler. Place your chicken breasts and Parmesan shavings on top of your salad and enjoy.

Serves 2.