Roasted Fennel Chicken Salad

Don't you hate it when you have diligently filled your fridge with fresh food, which you're all set to turn into some kind of culinary masterpiece, and then suddenly you're struck down by a serious attack of after-work lethargy? The tiny cries of fresh fennel and plump pink chicken breasts were almost drowned out by the Sci-Fi channel's various cheesy Monday night marathon offerings this week. In a carefully negotiated compromise between my stomach and my numb brain, I managed to get together this low-impact chicken salad to go with my low-budget TV. Perfect.

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Roasted Fennel Chicken Salad

Preheat your broiler.

Rinse and dry:
2 large skinless chicken breasts
(if you're lucky enough to have cooked leftover chicken already on hand, even better)

Peel, core, and cut into haphazard chunks or slices:
1 bulb fennel

Arrange chicken and fennel in a single layer in a shallow roasting pan and sprinkle with:
Salt and pepper to taste
Olive oil

Roast under the broiler, turning occasionally until fennel is soft and starting to brown, and chicken is cooked through (approx. 15 minutes). While chicken and fennel are roasting, go back to lolling on the couch and watching junky TV.

Combine in a large bowl:
1 tart apple, diced
2 Tablespoons Potbelly Hot Peppers or other spicy pepper/condiment, roughly chopped
Juice of 1 lemon
1-2 Tablespoons mayonnaise
Dash of Worcestershire sauce
Whatever else you have in the fridge door that looks good
When chicken and fennel are cooked, cut into bite-sized pieces and toss, still warm, with the contents of the bowl.

Sprinkle with:
1 Tablespoon fresh basil, mint or cilantro

Serve in the mixing bowl with two forks. Eat while marveling at cheap special effects and implausible plot twists involving alternate universes.

Serves two lazy geeks.