Spanish Gazpacho Chicken Salad with Cucumber and Tomato

Name: Spanish Gazpacho Chicken Salad with Cucumber and Tomato
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Spanish
Ingredients: 1½ lb (680 g) boneless, skinless chicken breasts; 2 tsp (12 g) kosher salt; tsp black pepper, to taste; 1 lb (450 g) ripe plum tomatoes, cored, roughly chopped; 2 tbsp (30 g) tomato paste; 3 tbsp (45 ml) red wine vinegar; ¼ cup (60 ml) extra-virgin olive oil; 1 clove (5 g) garlic clove, minced, minced; ½ tsp (1 g) ground cumin; ½ tsp (1 g) smoked paprika; 1 medium (340 g) English cucumber, halved lengthwise, seeded, cut into ½-inch half-moons; 1 medium (160 g) red bell pepper, diced; 8 oz (225 g) cherry tomatoes, halved; ⅓ medium (45 g) red onion, finely diced; ¼ cup (12 g) fresh cilantro leaves, chopped; ½ cup (100 g) crumbled feta cheese (optional); 2 oz (60 g) crusty Spanish bread or croutons, cut into bite-sized pieces or use store-bought croutons (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A refreshing Spanish-inspired salad that marries the cool, tangy flavors of gazpacho with tender poached chicken and crisp summer vegetables. Ripe tomatoes, cucumber, and bell pepper are tossed with shredded chicken and dressed in a smooth tomato-based gazpacho vinaigrette, then chilled until ready to serve. Perfect for warm afternoons, picnics, or a light lunch.

Prep: 25 min
Cook: 20 min
Wait: 45 min
Total: 1 hr 30 min
Makes: 4 servings (about 2 cups each)

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Ingredients

4 servings

1½ lb (680 g) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 tsp (12 g) kosher salt
tsp black pepper, to taste
1 lb (450 g) ripe plum tomatoes, cored, roughly chopped
2 tbsp (30 g) tomato paste
3 tbsp (45 ml) red wine vinegar
¼ cup (60 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
1 clove (5 g) garlic clove, minced, minced
½ tsp (1 g) ground cumin
½ tsp (1 g) smoked paprika
1 medium (340 g) English cucumber, halved lengthwise, seeded, cut into ½-inch half-moons
1 medium (160 g) red bell pepper, diced
8 oz (225 g) cherry tomatoes, halved
⅓ medium (45 g) red onion, finely diced
¼ cup (12 g) fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
½ cup (100 g) crumbled feta cheese (optional)
2 oz (60 g) crusty Spanish bread or croutons, cut into bite-sized pieces or use store-bought croutons (optional)

Equipment (6)

Large pot (4-quart / 3.8 L) for poaching chicken
Fine-mesh sieve or immersion blender
Large mixing bowl
Sharp knife and cutting board
Whisk
4 serving bowls or plates

Steps

Before you start

Read through the recipe—the salad needs at least 30 minutes of chilling to blend flavors
Bring a pot of water to a boil if poaching chicken, or use rotisserie chicken to save time
Have a fine-mesh sieve or immersion blender ready for the dressing

1
Poach the chickenOven 165°F / 75°C
- Fill a large 4-quart pot with water and bring to a boil.
- Add the chicken breasts, 2 tsp kosher salt, and a pinch of black pepper.
- Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer gently for 12–15 minutes, until the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C).
- Remove the chicken with a slotted spoon and let cool on a cutting board for 5 minutes, then shred into bite-sized pieces using two forks or your hands.
- Set aside.
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Ready when: Internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C); meat is opaque throughout
Tip: Poach gently to keep the chicken tender. If using rotisserie chicken instead, shred 3 cups of meat and skip this step.
2
Make the gazpacho dressing
- In a fine-mesh sieve or food processor, combine the roughly chopped tomatoes, tomato paste, red wine vinegar, olive oil, minced garlic, cumin, and smoked paprika.
- If using a sieve, press the tomato mixture through with the back of a spoon into a bowl below, discarding the solids.
- If using an immersion blender or food processor, pulse until smooth (a few tiny tomato flecks are fine).
- Taste and adjust vinegar or salt as needed.
- The dressing should be silky and vibrant red.
- Set aside.
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Ready when: Dressing is smooth and well-combined, with no large chunks of tomato
Tip: Strain through a sieve for the smoothest gazpacho dressing; a food processor leaves more texture, which is also delicious.
3
Prepare the vegetables
- On a clean cutting board, prepare the salad vegetables: halve and seed the English cucumber lengthwise, then cut into ½-inch half-moons.
- Dice the red bell pepper into ½-inch pieces.
- Halve the cherry tomatoes.
- Finely dice the red onion.
- Chop the fresh cilantro.
- Place all prepared vegetables in a large mixing bowl.
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Ready when: All vegetables are uniformly cut and in the mixing bowl
Tip: Cut vegetables into similar sizes so they chill evenly and look appealing.
4
Combine and chill
- Add the shredded chicken to the mixing bowl with the vegetables.
- Pour the gazpacho dressing over the chicken and vegetables, and gently fold everything together with a rubber spatula until evenly coated.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or up to 4 hours.
- The flavors will deepen and meld as the salad chills.
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Ready when: Salad is well chilled and flavors are balanced
Tip: Don't skip the chilling time—it's essential for the flavors to develop and for the salad to be truly refreshing.
5
Finish and serve
- Remove the salad from the refrigerator.
- Taste and adjust seasoning with salt, pepper, or a splash more vinegar if desired.
- Divide among four serving bowls or plates.
- If using crumbled feta cheese, sprinkle a handful over each serving.
- Top with crusty bread pieces or croutons if desired.
- Serve immediately while cold.
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Ready when: Salad is plated and ready to serve
Tip: Add feta and croutons just before serving to keep them from absorbing too much dressing.

Good to know

Tips

For the smoothest gazpacho dressing, pass the cooked tomato mixture through a fine-mesh sieve rather than using a food processor. This creates the silky texture closer to true gazpacho.
If you're short on time, use 3 cups of shredded rotisserie chicken instead of poaching chicken breasts. The salad will taste nearly identical and saves about 20 minutes.
This salad is best served ice-cold. Chill your serving bowls in the freezer for 5 minutes before plating if the weather is very warm.
For a heartier meal, serve the salad over a bed of mixed greens or alongside crusty bread and a small glass of Spanish white wine like Albariño.

Make ahead

You can prepare the gazpacho dressing up to 1 day ahead and refrigerate it. You can also shred the poached chicken and chop the vegetables 4–6 hours in advance; store them separately in sealed containers. Assemble the salad no more than 4 hours before serving to prevent the vegetables from becoming too soft.

Storage & reheating

Refrigerate the assembled salad in a covered container for up to 2 days. The vegetables will gradually soften and the flavors will intensify. It does not freeze well. To reheat, let the salad come to room temperature for 10 minutes before serving, or enjoy it straight from the fridge.

Substitutions

cherry tomatoes → Additional ripe plum tomatoes, diced. Use an equal weight of fresh, firm plum tomatoes diced into bite-sized chunks. The salad will taste very similar.
red_bell_pepper → Yellow or orange bell pepper. Yellow or orange peppers are slightly sweeter and work beautifully in this salad; use the same weight.
fresh cilantro leaves → Fresh parsley (flat-leaf or curly). Parsley is milder but adds a fresh herbaceous note. Use the same quantity.
red wine vinegar → Sherry vinegar. Sherry vinegar is slightly sweeter and softer; use the same amount for a more mellow gazpacho dressing.