Keep dinner light with this chicken potato salad

This light, summer roasted chicken potato salad uses only one pot. It won’t heat up your kitchen and takes only 20 minutes to make.

I use a bought roasted or rotisserie chicken breast for the salad. It is cooked on the bone and generally is moist and flavorful. There are many brands of roasted chicken breast that are boned, skinned and cut ready to use. These will work fine in this recipe and will shorten the preparation time.

Helpful hints:

• Any type of waxy potato such as yellow or new potatoes can be used.

• Six tablespoons reduced-fat oil and vinegar dressing can be used instead of the dressing recipe given.

Countdown:

• Place potatoes on to cook.

• Make dressing.

• Complete salad.

Shopping list:

Here are the ingredients you’ll need for tonight’s Dinner in Minutes.

• To buy: 3/4 pounds red potatoes, 1 small red onion, 1 small bunch parsley, 1 bunch celery, 1 small head Romaine lettuce, 1 medium tomato, 3/4 pound roasted or rotisserie chicken breast, 1 jar Dijon mustard, 1 bottle balsamic vinegar and 1 French baguette.

• Staples: Olive oil, salt and black peppercorns.

Roasted Chicken Potato Salad

Yield 2 servings.

Recipe by Linda Gassenheimer.

¾ pounds red potatoes

¾ pound roasted or rotisserie chicken breast

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 tablespoons water

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

½ cup diced red onion

1 cup celery diced

½ cup chopped fresh parsley

Several leaves Romaine lettuce, washed and torn into bite-size pieces

1 medium tomato, cut into wedges

¼ whole wheat French baguette

Wash potatoes, do not peel and cut into 1-inch chunks. Place in a medium-size saucepan and cover with cold water. Cover with a lid and boil 15 minutes or until potatoes are cooked.

Meanwhile, remove skin from chicken and remove meat from bones. Cut into 1-inch pieces. Whisk the vinegar and mustard together in a medium-size serving bowl. Whisk in the oil and water. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add chicken, onion, and celery and toss well. When potatoes are cooked, drain and add, while still warm, to the bowl. Toss. Add parsley. Add more salt and pepper, if needed.

Place a layer of lettuce leaves on 2 dinner plates. Spoon salad onto lettuce. Place tomatoes around edge of platter. Sprinkle tomatoes with salt and pepper. Serve with baguette.

Per serving: 560 calories (22 percent from fat), 13.7 g fat (2.4 g saturated, 5.2 g monounsaturated), 147 mg cholesterol, 53.1 g protein, 55.2 g carbohydrates, 7.8 g fiber, 401 mg sodium.