POMEGRANATE CHICKEN SALAD

~ adapted from Heidi Marineau

2/3 c. pomegranate juice
1/2 c. chopped cilantro
2 T. olive oil
1 t. salt
1/2 t. pepper
6 garlic cloves, minced
3 lb. chicken breasts
lettuce and/or spinach
sliced almonds, toasted
shredded coconut, toasted
dried cranberries

Combine pomegranate juice, cilantro, olive oil, slat, pepper, and garlic in mixing bowl. Slice chicken into strips and add to juice mixture, stirring until thoroughly coated. Marinate in refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. Place chicken strips on baking sheet and broil until cooked through; remove from oven to cool.

Meanwhile, chop lettuce and place in serving bowl. Place cooled chicken strips on top of lettuce, then sprinkle with almonds, coconut, and cranberries before serving.

Notes: We've served this with a homemade pomegranate vinaigrette that tasted great, but was far too runny to make again. The salad is great on its own, but you can find a dressing recipe or pick up a bottle at the store if you'd like to kick it up a notch.

AVOCADO CHICKEN SALAD

~ Lean and Green Meals

20 oz. cooked chicken, shredded or finely diced
1 c. Greek yogurt
6 oz. chopped avocado
1 t. garlic powder
1/2 t. salt
1/4 t. pepper
2 T. + 2 t. lime juice
1/2 c. chopped cilantro
salad greens

Combine all ingredients except salad greens in mixing bowl. Chill until ready to eat. Serve over salad greens.

Notes: If you don't like the texture of avocado, then mash it up before adding it to the salad.

CHIPOTLE CHICKEN SALAD

~ All You magazine - 4/22/11

1 1/2 lb. chicken breasts
1 red onion, cut into wedges
1 T. olive oil
salt and pepper, to taste
1 c. chopped roasted red peppers
3 T. sour cream
2 T. mayonnaise
1 T. minced seeded chipotles in adobo, plus 2 t. adobo sauce
1 T. lime juice
1/3 c. finely chopped cilantro

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place chicken on a rimmed, foil-lined baking sheet and surround with red onion wedges. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Bake 20 minutes or until onions are softened and chicken is cooked through, then let cool 10 minutes on baking sheet.

Transfer chicken to cutting board and cut into half-inch cubes. Coarsely chop onion, then transfer chicken and onion to serving bowl and cool to room temperature. Stir in roasted red peppers.

In a small bowl, combine sour cream, mayonnaise, chipotles, adobo sauce, and lime juice. Stir until combined, then pour over chicken and toss until coated evenly. Sprinkle chicken with cilantro and serve.

Makes about six cups.

Notes: I like to serve this with Mexican layer salad and sometimes use avocado dressing instead of sour cream and mayonnaise. 

PEACH & CHICKEN GREEN SALAD

~ Bethany Weathersby

lettuce and/or spinach, chopped
chicken, cooked and shredded
peaches, peeled and sliced
crumbled feta
dried cranberries
chopped almonds, toasted
balsamic vinegar (optional)

Layer all ingredients, except for vinegar, in a serving bowl. Add a splash of balsamic vinegar to individual servings, if desired.

GREEN SALAD WITH DO-IT-ALL CHICKEN

~ Bethany Weathersby

lettuce and/or spinach
chopped tomatoes
do-it-all chicken, shredded or chopped

Layer ingredients in serving bowl or on individual plates.

PESTO CHICKEN GREEN SALAD

~ Bethany Weathersby

lettuce and/or spinach, chopped or torn
pesto chicken, shredded
tomatoes, chopped

Layer desired amounts of each ingredient in a serving bowl or on a plate.

PESTO & SUN-DRIED TOMATO TURKEY PASTA SALAD

~ Bethany Weathersby

pasta
sun-dried tomato seasoned turkey, chopped
chopped tomatoes
chopped olives
parmesan cheese
pesto

Cook pasta to desired doneness; drain. Mix cooked pasta with remaining ingredients and chill until serving.

SLOW-COOKED COCONUT CHICKEN

~ Taste of Home magazine - December 2013

1/2 c. coconut milk
2 T. brown sugar
2 T. soy sauce
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/8 t. ground cloves
6 boneless skinless chicken thighs, about 1 1/2 lbs.
6 T. toasted coconut flakes
chopped cilantro

Combine first five ingredients in a bowl.  Place chicken in crockpot and pour coconut milk mixture over the top. Cover and cook on low for 4-5 hours or until chicken is tender.  Serve with coconut and cilantro.

Makes six servings.

Notes: This is so easy and tastes so good! The flavor of the sauce and cilantro, crunch of the toasted coconut, and tenderness of the chicken make for a great dish. I serve it over brown rice, regular or coconut-style, or put it on a bed of spinach for a hearty salad. Although it says it makes six servings, I find those servings to be too small and double or triple the recipe for my family. I sometimes put three pound increments of chicken in ziploc bags with double the sauce/marinade ingredients, then pop it in the freezer for an easy dinner later on.

ZESTY CHICKEN GREEN SALAD

~ Bethany Weathersby

lettuce and/or spinach
zesty chicken, shredded or chopped
diced tomatoes

Notes:  I like to use chicken I've previously cooked, shredded, and frozen to make this a quick and filling meal.  

TOMATO CHICKEN PASTA SALAD

~ Bethany Weathersby

12 oz. medium shell pasta
2-3 lbs. chicken, sliced and sauteed
6-8 tomatoes, diced
1 c. pesto
1 c. parmesan

Boil noodles; drain and put in serving bowl.  Add remaining ingredients and mix well.

Notes: With the exception of the pasta, all measurements are approximate.  I don't actually count or measure when I make this, but it makes a ton.  I've used cubes (from an ice cube tray) of homemade pesto from the freezer and chicken that I'd previously sliced, sauteed, and frozen, but you could certainly use fresh chicken and store-bought pesto.  

COUSCOUS WITH CHICKEN, CHICKPEAS, & APRICOTS

~ All You magazine - 4/22/11

1 1/2 c. chicken broth
1 c. couscous
1/4 c. olive oil
1/4 c. lemon juice
1/2 t. cumin
2 c. shredded, cooked, boneless, skinless chicken
15 oz. can chickpeas, rinsed and drained or 2 c. homemade chickpeas
1/4 c. sliced almonds, toasted
1/2 c. dried apricots, chopped
3 green onions, finely chopped
8 c. chopped romaine or mixed salad greens

In a medium saucepan, bring broth to a boil. Stir in couscous, then cover and remove from heat.  Let stand until couscous is tender, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl, fluff with a fork, and let cool slightly.

Meanwhile, whisk oil, lemon juice and cumin together. Pour over couscous and toss to coat. Stir in chicken, chickpeas, almonds, apricots and green onions. Serve over lettuce. 

Makes four servings.

CHICKEN SALAD SANDWICHES

~ Kristal Davis / Knit1 Kids4

2 c. shredded, cooked chicken
1-2 chopped, unpeeled Granny Smith apples
1 c. chopped celery
1/2 c. chopped walnuts
1/2 c. mayonnaise
2 T. plain yogurt
2 T. honey mustard
1 t. lemon juice
1/8 t. salt
raisin bread
leaf lettuce

Combine all ingredients except bread and lettuce in a medium bowl and mix well. Make sandwiches with bread and lettuce. Makes about 5 sandwiches.

Notes: These sandwiches are even better if you toast the raisin bread first, though they're also good on non-raisin bread. We often use chopped almonds instead of walnuts. 

AMY'S BARBECUE CHICKEN SALAD

~ allrecipes

2 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1 head red leaf lettuce, rinsed and torn
1 head green leaf lettuce, rinsed and torn
1 tomato, chopped
1 bunch cilantro, chopped
15.25 oz. can whole kernel corn, drained
15 oz. can black beans, drained
2.8 oz. can French fried onions
1/2 c. ranch dressing
1/2 c. barbecue sauce

Preheat the grill for high heat. Lightly oil the grill grate. Place chicken on the grill, and cook 6 minutes per side, or until juices run clear. Remove from heat, cool, and slice.

In a large bowl, mix the red leaf lettuce, green leaf lettuce, tomato, cilantro, corn, and black beans. Top with the grilled chicken slices and French fried onions.

In a small bowl, mix the Ranch dressing and barbecue sauce. Serve on the side as a dipping sauce, or toss with the salad to coat.

Notes: I use two cups of the best beans in the world in place of canned beans, two cups of frozen corn in place of canned (just thaw it first), and bake my chicken when grilling isn't convenient.

ASIAN ORZO CHICKEN SALAD

~ Laura Bodine / Culinary Cravings

 9 oz. package frozen sugar snap peas
16 oz. orzo, cooked and drained
1 c. water chestnuts, drained and chopped
3 c. diced, cooked chicken
3 green onions, chopped
1 medium red bell pepper, diced
1/2 c. vegetable oil
3 T. rice wine vinegar
2 T. soy sauce
2 t. hoisin sauce
1/2 c. slivered almonds, toasted

Cook sugar snap peas according to package directions; drain well. In a large bowl, combine sugar snap peas, orzo, water chestnuts, chicken, green onion, and red bell pepper. In a small bowl, whisk together oil, vinegar, soy sauce, and hoisin sauce. Pour over orzo mixture, tossing gently to coat. Stir in toasted almonds. Cover and chill until ready to serve.

Notes: We always have regular, frozen peas in our freezer, so I use them instead of sugar snap peas. I just let them thaw before adding them. The flavor is really mild in this salad, so we often leave the hoisin jar on the table so people can add more to their portion.

CHICKEN SALAD WITH GRAPES & PECANS

~ All You - August 27, 2010

6 c. chopped, cooked chicken
2 t. Dijon mustard
1/2 c. sour cream
1/2 c. mayonnaise
1 T. fresh lemon juice
2 c. chopped celery
2 tablespoons poppy seeds
2 c. red seedless grapes, sliced lengthwise
salt and pepper, to taste
1/2 c. pecans

In a large bowl, combine chicken, Dijon mustard, sour cream, mayonnaise, fresh lemon juice, celery, poppy seeds and grapes. Stir well and season with salt and pepper. Cover and chill until ready to serve. Just before serving, fold in pecans.

Notes: This is a good, but very mildly flavored, salad. If you like things with more zip, then you could add your favorite seasonings. We've used brown mustard in place of Dijon, just because we already had it, and it tasted fine. We also use walnuts instead of pecans because they're less expensive.

SMOKED TURKEY SALAD

~ Bethany Weathersby

lettuce
spinach
smoked turkey, cubed
Monterey jack cheese, cubed
nectarines, chopped
raw cashews, toasted

Toast cashews and set aside to cool.  Chop the lettuce & spinach; combine in serving bowl.  Sprinkle remaining ingredients over greens and serve. 

Notes: Use as much or little of each ingredient as you like.

SUMMERTIME ORZO & CHICKEN

~ Taste of Home magazine - August/September 2010

3/4 c. uncooked orzo
1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 medium cucumber, chopped
1 small red onion, chopped
1/4 c. minced fresh parsley
2 T. lemon juice
1 T. olive oil
1 t. salt
1/4 t. pepper
1/4 c. crumbled reduced-fat feta cheese

Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large skillet coated with cooking spray, cook chicken over medium heat for 6-8 minutes or until no longer pink.

In a large bowl, combine the cucumber, onion, parsley and chicken. Drain pasta; stir into chicken mixture. In a small bowl, whisk the lemon juice, oil, salt and pepper. Pour over chicken mixture; toss to coat. Serve warm or cold. Just before serving, sprinkle with cheese.

Makes about 5 cups.

Notes: I cook my chicken in 1-2 T. of olive oil, rather than using cooking spray, which keeps it moist.

VIDALIA CHICKEN SALAD

~ Bethany Weathersby

lettuce
chicken
Ken's Sweet Vidalia Onion Dressing
French fried onions

Drizzle a little dressing over the chicken and bake until no longer pink, then cut into strips or cubes. Chop lettuce and place in serving bowl. Top with chicken. Serve with remaining dressing and French fried onions

Notes: Quantities are totally flexible and depend on your taste preferences and how many people are eating.

GREEN SALAD - MEXICAN STYLE

~ Bethany Weathersby

lettuce and/or spinach
chicken for tacos or chicken baked with taco seasoning
beans, unmashed
olives
sour cream (optional)
salsa (optional)

Cook chicken according to recipe that's linked in the ingredient list. Chop one head of lettuce and place in salad bowl. Sprinkle chicken, beans and olives over lettuce.

In a separate bowl, combine sour cream and salsa until you've reached the quantity and consistency you'd like your dressing to be. Pour over salad and toss or let people dress their salads individually.

Notes: The quantity of each ingredient is totally flexible. Do what sounds tasty to you! If you put the chicken in the crockpot at lunch, then it will be ready by dinner. I always have bags of the beans in the freezer, which frees up the crockpot for the chicken. If you need to cook the beans the same day you're making the salad, then just bake your chicken instead of cooking it in the crockpot.

GREEN SALAD - ASIAN STYLE

~ Bethany Weathersby

chicken breasts, fresh or frozen
teriyaki sauce
lettuce and/or Napa cabbage
oranges, peeled and sliced
sliced almonds

Place desired amount of chicken in a crockpot. Pour teriyaki sauce over chicken. Put lid on and cook until chicken is no longer pink. Remove from crockpot and shred, shop, or slice. Chop lettuce and/or cabbage and place in salad bowl. Sprinkle diced chicken, oranges and almonds over the top.  We don't dress this, as the juice from the oranges and the extra teriyaki sauce in the crockpot work as a dressing.

Notes: All quantities are flexible, so do what sounds best to you. You can use whatever teriyaki sauce you want, but we prefer the Soy Vay Veri Veri Teriyaki because it's not nearly as salty as other brands. You could bake your chicken instead of using the crockpot, but I find it easier to just throw frozen chicken in the crockpot at lunch and have it ready to shred at dinner.