Chicken Salad Cos Cups

Chicken Salad Cos Cups:

There’s something undeniably appealing about easy finger foods. They’re easy to eat, don’t require utensils, and are perfect for mingling at parties. These healthy salad appetisers are one idea in this category.

But just because something is bite-sized doesn’t mean it can’t be elegant and flavourful!

Chicken Salad Cos Cups—the ideal healthy salad appetisers that combine the freshness of crisp lettuce with the creamy, savoury goodness of chicken salad.

These little cups are not only delicious, but they also offer a beautiful presentation on any platter, perfect for those who like to elevate their appetisers with minimal fuss.

Whether you’re preparing for a casual gathering or a more formal event, chicken salad cos cups are guaranteed to impress.

Cos- A Sturdy, Crunchy Vessel

When creating bite-sized appetisers, the vehicle for your filling is just as important as the filling itself.

Cos lettuce, also known as Romaine, is a brilliant choice for several reasons.

First, its leaves are naturally cup-shaped, making them perfect for holding a generous scoop of chicken salad.

Second, they are crisp and sturdy, able to support the creamy filling without wilting or falling apart—a key factor in ensuring your healthy salad appetisers stay fresh and presentable throughout your event.

The slight bitterness of cos lettuce also contrasts beautifully with the creamy, rich chicken salad, creating a balanced flavour that feels light and refreshing, yet still satisfying.

Plus, they’re gluten-free and low-carb, making them a fantastic option for guests with dietary restrictions.

It’s a small touch that shows thoughtfulness in your menu planning.

Bite-size Chicken Salad

The beauty of chicken salad is it’s presentation is limitless.

You can keep it simple or get creative with flavours and textures, making it perfect for various tastes and dietary preferences.

Feel free to add your personal twist to make these healthy salad appetisers your own.

Flavour Variations for Every Palate

One of the best things about chicken salad is how adaptable it is to different flavour preferences.

I have literally used what was available in my refrigerator.

It’s not rocket science but If you’re feeling adventurous, here are a few variations to consider:

• Mediterranean Chicken Salad Cos Cups: Add crumbled feta cheese, chopped kalamata olives, and sun-dried tomatoes to the chicken salad mix. Serve with a sprinkle of oregano and a drizzle of olive oil for a fresh, Greek-inspired twist.
• Spicy Chicken Salad Cos Cups: Mix in diced jalapeños, a splash of hot sauce, and a pinch of cayenne pepper for a spicy kick. You could even add in some diced mango for a sweet-and-spicy contrast.
• Asian-Inspired Chicken Salad Cos Cups: Replace the mayonnaise with a combination of sesame oil, soy sauce, and a little rice vinegar. Toss in shredded red cabbage, carrots, cucumbers, coriander, mint and a sprinkle of sesame seeds or a peanut satay sauce to finish.
• Herbed Chicken Salad: Take the fresh herb flavours up a notch by adding chopped tarragon, dill, or basil to the chicken salad. The aromatic herbs will bring an elegant, fragrant quality to each bite.

Presentation Tips: Making Your Appetisers Pop

Presentation is everything when it comes to appetisers, especially when you want your platter to stand out. Chicken salad cos cups already have a visually appealing look with the bright green lettuce cradling the creamy filling, but there are ways to take it up a notch.

• Garnish: Try garnishing each cos cup with finely chopped chives, a sprig of dill, or even a small edible flower for a touch of elegance.
• Drizzle before serving: A light drizzle of balsamic glaze or olive oil over the platter right before serving can add a glossy finish that looks as good as it tastes or use pipettes as I have done.
• Plate creatively: Arrange the cups in neat rows or circles on a serving platter for a clean, modern look. If you want to get fancy, serve them on a slate board or a rustic wooden board to add texture and warmth to your presentation or present individually in bamboo boats.

Perfect for Any Occasion

One of the best things about chicken salad cos cups is how adaptable they are for different events.

They’re easy enough to prepare for casual get-togethers or family dinners but polished enough to serve at cocktail parties, bridal showers, or holiday gatherings.

You can make the chicken salad ahead of time and simply assemble the lettuce cups before your guests arrive, making them a stress-free addition to your menu.

Healthy Appetiser option

As far as appetisers go, a mix of healthy and rich, vegetarian or meat and simple or complex is the go.

Because these Salad Appetisers are light, low-carb, and gluten-free, they cater to a variety of dietary preferences, ensuring that everyone at your event has something delicious to enjoy.

For those who love serving appetisers that look sophisticated but require minimal effort, chicken salad cos cups are the ultimate go-to.

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Chicken Salad Cos Cups

(Serves 12 Prep 20 Mins)

You Will Need:

Baby Cos Lettuce: Choose fresh, baby cos lettuce heads with crisp, green leaves. You’ll need three whole heads, as the inner leaves will serve as the base for your dish. Cos lettuce is firm and crispy & works as a vessel to hold your salad. Baby cos leaves are a good size to work with.

BBQ Chicken Breast: Use a pre-cooked BBQ chicken breast from a store or one prepared at home. You can shred the chicken or cut it into bite-sized pieces. I tend to buy pre-cooked so it is one less thing for me to prepare.

Fresh Spinach Leaves: Fresh spinach leaves will add a contrasting green to your cos leaves. Aim for young spinach, and use roughly a small handful (about 1 cup loosely packed).

Yellow Roma Tomatoes: Yellow Roma tomatoes are sweet tasting and add a beautiful yellow hue but red snacking tomatoes are fine. Use half a punnet (approximately 6-8 small tomatoes), diced into small, even pieces.

Continental Cucumber: Continental cucumbers are long, thin-skinned, and usually seedless. They add a refreshing crunch to the salad. Use half of a cucumber, diced into small cubes.

Red Chilli: For a touch of heat, use half of a large red chilli. You can adjust this to taste based on your preference for spice. I like a bit of a kick but some don’t like any spice so it is optional. It doesn’t really matter. If using chilli, finely slice it so that it is evenly distributed in the salad.

Pecan Nuts: Choose 12 whole pecan nuts, roughly chopped. The pecans bring a rich, buttery crunch to the salad which I love.

Dried Cranberries: Use dried cranberries & soak the in warm water for about 10 minutes to rehydrate & plump them up before adding them to the salad. They bring a lovely sweetness to your salad.

Pine Nuts: Pine nuts provide a mild, nutty flavour and another crunch element. Toast them lightly in a dry pan for extra flavour.

Danish Feta: Danish feta is creamy and slightly milder than traditional Greek feta. Use about 100 grams of finely diced, for a salty, tangy contrast to the other ingredients. Alternatively, you can use Greek feta & crumble it into the salad.

Parsley: Fresh parsley adds a bright, herbaceous note. Use about a handful (roughly ¼ cup) of finely chopped flat-leaf or curly parsley. You could use any herbs at all in your salad. They always add a depth of flavour.

Garlic Chives: Garlic chives have a mild garlic flavour that complements the dish without overpowering it. Use 1 tablespoon of finely chopped garlic chives for a subtle but flavourful addition.

For the Dressing:

Pinch of Sea Salt: A pinch of sea salt enhances the flavours of the dressing and the salad. Adjust the salt to taste. Remembering that your feta is salty so don’t overdo it.

Olive Oil: Use extra virgin olive oil for its smooth, rich flavour, as it’s the base of your dressing- I use Garlic Olive Oil .

Dijon Mustard: Dijon mustard adds a sharp, tangy bite to the dressing and helps emulsify the mixture.

Lemon Juice: Freshly squeezed lemon juice adds acidity and brightness, balancing the richness of the salad.

Minced Garlic: Use about 1 teaspoon of finely minced fresh garlic to give the dressing a robust, savoury depth.

Instructions:

Prepare the lettuce: Start by removing the tough outer leaves from the cos lettuce and discarding them. These leaves tend to be less tender and not as vibrant for presentation. Then, carefully break off 3-4 of the inner, crisp leaves from each lettuce head. These will be used as the base for your dish, so aim to keep them as whole and unblemished as possible. Rinse the leaves thoroughly under cold water to remove any dirt or debris, and pat them dry with paper towels or use a salad spinner to ensure they’re completely dry.

Prepare the chicken: Put on a pair of clean gloves to handle the BBQ chicken. Take one chicken breast and gently tear it into bite-sized pieces using your hands or shred it with two forks. The chicken should be evenly shredded but still have a bit of texture for a satisfying bite. Once shredded, place the chicken in a medium-sized mixing bowl. Alternatively, dice the chicken.

Prepare the vegetables: Roughly chop a handful of fresh spinach leaves, ensuring they are small enough to mix well with the other ingredients. Add the chopped spinach to the bowl with the chicken. Next, dice a ripe tomato, chop the cucumber into small cubes, and thinly slice a fresh chilli for a bit of heat. Add all of these vegetables to the bowl.

Add the crunchy and flavourful elements: To add texture and flavour, toss in a small handful of roughly chopped pecans, dried cranberries, and pine nuts. These ingredients add both crunch and sweetness, which balances the salad beautifully. Finely chop a small bunch of parsley and a few sprigs of chives for a fresh, herbal note. Finally, crumble in some feta cheese for a rich, salty contrast. Once everything is in the bowl, gently toss the ingredients together, ensuring that the chicken, vegetables, nuts, and herbs are well combined.

Make the dressing: In a small bowl, combine your choice of dressing ingredients—this could be a simple vinaigrette, a yogurt-based dressing, or something creamier depending on your preference. Stir well until all the ingredients are thoroughly mixed and the dressing is smooth.

Fill the pipettes: Using the pipettes, carefully insert the tip of each one into the prepared dressing. Squeeze the pipette to draw in the dressing, and then release the pressure, allowing the pipette to fill up. Repeat this process until all 12 pipettes are filled to your desired level. You can adjust the amount of dressing depending on how much flavour you want to add to each bite.

Serve: Arrange the cos lettuce leaves on a serving platter or bamboo boats, and spoon the chicken mixture onto each leaf. Add a pipette filled with dressing to the side of each lettuce cup, allowing guests to drizzle the dressing onto their portion as they eat. Serve immediately.

Enjoy!

Helpful Hints

• If you are adding a dressing to the salad, either serve individual portions or add the dressing when you are ready to serve, to avoid the lettuce leaves becoming soggy.

• You can use whatever ingredients you have at home or would usually us in a salad— I have kept this salad pretty basic.

• You can serve these lettuce cups on a platter or in these bamboo boats which are found in alot of discount stores here in Australia.

Chicken Salad Cos Cups

Recipe

(Serves 12 Prep 20 Mins)

Ingredients

• 3 pack of Baby Cos Lettuce
• 1 Breast of BBQ Chicken
• Small Handful of Spinach Leaves
• ½ Punnet of yellow Roma Tomatoes diced
• ½ Continental Cucumber diced
• 1/2 large Red Chilli
• 12 Pecan Nuts
• 2 Tbsp dried Cranberries rehydrated in warm water
• 2 Tbsp Pine Nuts
• 100g Danish Feta
• Handful of chopped Parsley 
• 1 Tbsp Garlic Chives finely chopped

For the Dressing

• ¼ cup Olive Oil
• 1 Tbsp Dijon Mustard
• Juice of ½ Lemon
• 1 tsp Minced Garlic
• Pinch of Sea Salt 

Method

1. Remove the outer leaves from the cos lettuce.
2. Gently break off 3-4 leaves from each lettuce and rinse them.
3. Wearing gloves, shred one BBQ chicken breast into pieces and place it in a medium-sized bowl.
4. Roughly chop the spinach leaves and add them to the bowl.
5. Add tomatoes, cucumber, chilli, pecans, cranberries, pine nuts, parsley, feta, and chives to the bowl, then toss everything together.

For the dressing:

1. In a small bowl, mix all the dressing ingredients.
2. Insert the tip of each pipette into the dressing, squeeze to fill them up, and repeat until you have 12 pipettes filled to the desired level.

Serve & Enjoy!

Wine Pairing Suggestions:

1. Sauvignon Blanc

A crisp, zesty Sauvignon Blanc is an excellent choice to balance the richness of the feta and the smokiness of the BBQ chicken.

Its high acidity will also work well with the lemon in the dressing and the freshness of the spinach, cucumber, and tomatoes.

Look for a Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand, which typically offers vibrant citrus and herbal notes, echoing the parsley and garlic chives in the salad.

2. Chardonnay (Unoaked or Lightly Oaked)

A lighter, unoaked Chardonnay with bright acidity and subtle fruit flavours like apple or pear will complement the creaminess of the Danish feta and the chicken without overpowering the other elements.

If you prefer a touch of oak, a lightly oaked Chardonnay can bring out the nuttiness from the pecans and pine nuts while adding a soft, buttery texture.

3. Rosé

A dry rosé, especially one from Provence, can pair beautifully with this salad.

Its light berry flavours and acidity will harmonise with the cranberries and chilli, while the freshness of the wine will not compete with the richness of the feta and chicken.

The slight fruity undertones will enhance the sweetness of the tomatoes and cranberries without overwhelming the dish.

4. Pinot Noir

For red wine lovers, a light-bodied Pinot Noir, with its soft tannins and bright red fruit flavours, is a versatile option.

The wine’s subtle earthiness will complement the spinach, parsley, and chives, while its vibrant acidity pairs well with the tomatoes and the tangy lemon dressing.

Pinot Noir won’t overpower the delicate flavours of the lettuce and cucumber, making it a gentle but flavourful companion.

5. Riesling (Dry or Off-Dry)

A dry or off-dry Riesling can enhance the dish’s mix of textures and flavours.

The wine’s bright acidity balances the richness of the feta and chicken, while the slight sweetness in an off-dry Riesling complements the cranberries and the chilli’s heat.

Its citrusy and floral notes will pair nicely with the lemon dressing.