healthy salad recipe

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Mediterranean Chicken Salad Recipe

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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)

    Dressing

  • 1 lemon

  • 1/4 cup olive oil

  • 1/4 cup water

  • 1 Tbsp pure maple syrup

Instructions

  1. 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.

  2. 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.

  3. 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)

The delicious dressing - takes just seconds to whisk together!

The delicious dressing - takes just seconds to whisk together!