Eating out the healthy way can be challenging – for many reasons in our family! Four kids with very different tastes and likes, a tight family budget and a need to stay health-conscience all create the challenge of choosing healthy meals while we are out.
So we have found solace in one of our go-to restaurants in our southern Arizona town – Pita Jungle! The whole family orders to their liking, we make sure to go during “happy hour” between 3 and 6 pm, and we can both afford AND enjoy dinner occasionally away from home. This salad became a standby favorite for us from that restaurant. As a healthy foodie, I found myself thinking about it between visits (can anyone relate? haha!) I decided that making it at home couldn’t be that hard….and voila….it’s NOT!
So for any of you who don’t have the access to a restaurant like this, or just LOVE to enjoy a FRESH, simple salad entrée for quick family dinners, here it is!
Mediterranean Chicken Salad – Coach Bess style!
Ingredients
1/2-1 lb chicken breast, grilled and diced
Romaine lettuce, sliced into ribbons and chopped
1/2 cup sweet corn, roasted in olive oil stovetop for 3-4 minutes
1 cucumber, diced into ½ inch chunks
2 Roma tomatoes, diced into ½ inch chunks
2 stalks celery, sliced into thin pieces
Handful cilantro, chopped
1/2-3/4 cup previously made Tabouli (recipe link for this below!)
1/3 cup golden raisins
1/3 cup feta cheese crumbles (optional)
1/4 cup toasted pinions (pinenuts - these are optional)
Dressing1 lemon
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup water
1 Tbsp pure maple syrup
Instructions
Make sure that ALL ingredients are chopped and diced into the same size pieces before stirring together into a chopped salad-type dish. The chicken can easily be prepared ahead of time (previously grilled) and refrigerated, then use cold since this is a cold salad.
Whisk the dressing ingredients together until completely blended, taste-test and adjust as needed for taste/consistency. Dressing should be a semi-thick mixture. Pour over chopped salad, then toss all together.
Serve salad immediately for best taste and texture.
Make ahead items: Grilled Chicken and Tabouli - both can be made ahead up to a day or two and refrigerated. (Find the recipe for Coach Bess’ Tabouli HERE & her classic Grilled Chicken Recipe HERE)