While some salads can be bland and boring, salads can also be exciting, appetizing and cravable! Leveraging different inspiration from culinary styles or unique flavors can bring salads to life in new ways.
This peanut & sesame chicken salad leans on Asian-inspired flavors to bring new zest to a traditional salad. Filled with ample vegetables and using chicken as a lean protein source, this salad is a heart-healthy option for seniors looking to boost their everyday nutrition.
Prep Time: 2.5 hours
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 4
Ingredients:
- 1 pound chicken breasts
- 2 cups spinach
- 2 cups chopped romaine
- 2 carrots, peeled into slivers
- ½ yellow pepper, sliced
- ½ cucumber, cut in chopsticks
- 2 green onions, chopped
- Marinade:
- ¼ cup coconut aminos
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon chili peppers
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- Dressing:
- ¼ teaspoon lime juice
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoons peanut butter
- ½ teaspoon sesame seed
- ¼ teaspoon honey
Instructions:
- In a small bowl, combine marinade ingredients.
- In a large plastic bag or baking dish, pour marinade over chicken and mix thoroughly so all chicken is covered with marinade, refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit and bake chicken for about 15 minutes or until chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees.
- While chicken is baking, prepare remaining salad ingredients.
- Prepare dressing in separate bowl.
- Once chicken is cooked, slice into strips, place chicken on salad and toss salad with dressing.
Per serving*: 360 calories; fat 20g; saturated fat 4g; cholesterol 100mg; sodium 160mg; carbohydrate 11g; fiber 2g; total sugars 3g; added sugars 1g; protein 35g; calcium 5%DV; iron 13%DV; potassium 13%DV
*Please note: Nutrition variation may happen due to ingredient sourcing and measurement variations.
One Salad, Many Toppings
There are so many ways to spice up this salad to your liking. Changing the protein source, swapping the vegetables used or even adding a whole grain will transform this salad while keeping it delicious and nutritious. Here are a few ways to make this salad your own creation:
- Swap out the chicken: The same marinade can be used on shrimp, salmon or even tofu.
- Change the veggies: Incorporate other vegetables like cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, avocados and asparagus.
- Add a whole grain: Add a filling crunch into the salad with ¼ cup cooked brown rice, quinoa or barley.
