Healthyish chicken salad
Indulge in a flavorful blend of grilled chicken, crisp veggies, and zesty dressing for a guilt-free eating experience with this healthy-ish chicken salad recipe.
Ingredients:
- skinless, boneless chicken breasts (1–1½ lb. total)
- Tbsp. kosher salt, plus more
- scallions, thinly sliced on a deep diagonal
- Persian cucumbers
- cup toasted sesame seeds, divided
- Tbsp. fresh lime juice
- Tbsp. tahini
- Tbsp. soy sauce
- tsp. honey
- tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
- head of romaine or green or red leaf lettuce or 1 head of Little Gem lettuce
- Big handful of cilantro leaves with tender stems
- lime (for serving)
Instructions:
- Put chicken, 3 Tbsp. kosher salt, and 5 cups of water in a medium pot over medium heat until it reaches a gentle simmer (make sure the chicken is fully submerged). This may take some time. Once the liquid starts simmering, lower the heat and let it cook without simmering at all until the chicken is pierced at the thickest part and the juices run clear, which takes about 8-10 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a medium bowl, get rid of the poaching liquid, let the chicken cool a bit, shred the meat into large pieces, and set it aside.
- While you wait, place scallions in a small bowl, cover them with very cold water, and let them soak for 10 minutes. Drain the scallions in a mesh sieve or colander, rinse them under cold running water while swishing vigorously to make them curl up and get rid of any sliminess. Shake off excess water and place them in a large bowl, setting them aside.
- Slice cucumbers one at a time by cutting them in half crosswise, then halving each piece lengthwise. Place the quarters with the cut side down, halve them lengthwise again to make a total of 8 pieces per cucumber, and add them to the bowl with the chicken.
- Reserve 1 Tbsp. of sesame seeds in a small bowl for later. Crush the remaining sesame seeds in a mortar and pestle until some turn to powder, leaving some whole seeds. Alternatively, pulse the seeds a few times in a food processor or spice mill, then transfer them to a medium bowl. Add lime juice, tahini, soy sauce, honey, and red pepper flakes and mash them to form a paste. Pour in ¼ cup of water and whisk to combine. Taste, season with salt, and adjust as needed.
- Combine lettuce and cilantro with the reserved scallions in a bowl. Pour half of the dressing over the greens and toss to coat them. Arrange the dressed greens on a platter. Pour the remaining dressing over the chicken and cucumbers, toss to coat, and place them over the greens. Sprinkle the salad with the reserved 1 Tbsp. sesame seeds and squeeze lime juice over the top.
Summary:
- Calories: 1356 kcal
- Fat: 67 g
- Protein: 146 g
- Carbs: 51 g
- Potassium: 3092 mg
- Magnesium: 503 mg