CHICKEN AND SPRING-VEGETABLE SALAD

Chicken and Spring-Vegetable Salad image

Provided by Martha Stewart

Number Of Ingredients 16

5 1/4 cups Homemade Chicken Stock or 3 cans low-sodium chicken stock, skimmed of fat
3 bay leaves
1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
1/2 small onion
2 whole skinless and boneless chicken breasts
1/4 cup nonfat buttermilk
3 tablespoons plain nonfat yogurt
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 pound snow peas, strings removed, cut diagonally into 3/4-inch pieces
1 pound fresh peas, shelled (1 cup)
1 bunch asparagus (1 pound), ends trimmed, cut into 1-inch lengths
1 can artichoke hearts, drained and quartered
1/4 cup fresh mint leaves, roughly chopped
1 head, Boston lettuce

Steps:

Place stock, bay leaves, peppercorns, and onion in a large saucepan, and bring to a boil. Add chicken breasts, and simmer until cooked through, about 10 minutes. Transfer chicken and stock to a bowl to cool.
Combine buttermilk, yogurt, lemon zest, lemon juice, and salt and pepper in a large bowl. Remove chicken from stock mixture, setting aside liquid for soup. Cut chicken into 3/4-inch chunks, and add to buttermilk mixture. Stir to combine.
Fill a bowl with water and ice. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, and add snow peas. Cook until bright green and tender, about 1 minute. Remove with slotted spoon, and transfer to the ice bath. Add fresh peas to boiling water, and cook until bright green and tender, about 1 minute. Remove with slotted spoon, and transfer to the ice bath with snow peas. Add asparagus to boiling water, and cook until bright green and tender, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove with slotted spoon, and transfer to the ice bath. When all the vegetables are cool, drain, and transfer to paper towels to dry. Add to chicken mixture; toss to combine. Add artichoke hearts and mint. Divide lettuce leaves among six plates, and fill with chicken salad.