Smoky Grilled Chicken and Crispy Fennel Salad

I decided to go through a lot of my old magazines refreshing my memory about recipes I wanted to try back then and looking for new recipes I want to try now. I have only recently got into Donna Hay, but I found two of her magazines from last year, both of which are full of recipes I want to try.

This recipe comes from the "crunchy salad" section, but since DD isn't too keen on salad, I cooked some chips for him to have on the side.

The chicken and dressing were very nice, but they were completely overshadowed by the awesomeness that was the fennel. I loved the fennel so much that the rest of the meal was completely forgotten. Fennel is amazing fried. Absolutely fantastic.

Smoky grilled chicken and crispy fennel salad
from Donna Hay Magazine Oct/Nov 2007, p 128

500g chicken breast minute steaks
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tsp smoky ground paprika
2 tsp fennel seeds
1/3 cup olive oil
1/2 cup rice flour (I used cornflour)
2 eggwhites, lightly beaten (I used one egg, lightly beaten)
vegetable oil for shallow-frying
2 baby cos lettuces, cut into wedges
sherry dressing
1/4 cup sherry vinegar
1 tbs olive oil
1 tsp caster sugar
sea salt and cracked black pepper

To make the sherry dressing, place the vinegar, oil, sugar, salt and pepper into a bowl and stir to combine. Set aside.

Place the chicken, garlic, paprika, fennel seeds and oil in a bowl and toss well to combine. Heat a large nonstick frying pan over high heat and cook the chicken for 2-3 minutes each side or until cooked through. Set aside and keep warm.

Place the flour, salt and pepper in a bowl. Dip the fennel into the eggwhite and press into the flour mixture. Heat 2cm of oil in a large frying pan over high heat. Shallow fry the fennel in batches for 2 minutes or until golden. Drain on absorbent paper. Arrange on plates with the chicken and baby cos and spoon over the sherry dressing to serve.