Asian Chicken Salad

A quick salad supper, so easy to make that my friend Ann calls it a "supper saver". The homemade Asian Vinaigrette is bright with cilantro, ginger, lime juice and soy sauce, a welcome departure from typical mayonnaise-heavy chicken salad recipes.

Fast & Adaptable. Fresh & Seasonal. Weight Watchers Friendly. High Protein.

~ Skip Straight to the Recipe ~

Surviving Summer's Heat

Ya know? Some days it’s just too blasted hot to even think about turning on the stove. Or tending a hot grill. Yup, it’s July in the Midwest.

What’s a parent to do? Pack the kids in the car, turn the air on high and pull into a drive-through? Head for an air-conditioned restaurant? Now we’re talking!

But wait! There’s an alternative that’s cheaper, faster, more healthful and far more delicious!

On the way home, make a quick stop at the grocery (supermarkets are air conditioned, right?) for a few items, head for home and dinner’ll be on the table in a matter of minutes.

In fact, consider keeping a copy of the recipe (and other fast favorites) in the car so no ingredients are forgotten! (Update: Haha! Now that's an artifact of time. Who carries paper around anymore when we can so easily check our phones for recipes? How the world has changed!)

This is truly a satisfying salad, one of my very favorites because it's so full flavored and has such a balance of textures. It's also hearty – even men leave the table feeling much satisfied.

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QUICK SUPPER: ASIAN CHICKEN SALAD

Hands-on time: 15 minutes
Time to table: 15 minutes
Serves 4

ASIAN VINAIGRETTE
Makes enough for about 2 batches

• 3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon dried mustard
• 2 tablespoons peanut or vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil

• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
• 2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger

CHICKEN
• 1 rotisserie chicken, skin removed, meat chopped (about 4 cups/550g)
• 2 cups chopped fresh spinach
• 2 cups sliced red, yellow and green peppers
• 1 cup bean sprouts
• 2 tablespoons chopped green onion, white and green parts both
• About 1/2 the Asian Vinaigrette
• Salt and pepper to taste

TO SERVE
• Spring greens or mixed lettuces
• Mango slices (my favorite), red grapes or banana chunks
• Honey-roasted peanuts (optional but add great crunch)

ASIAN VINAIGRETTE Whisk together all the ingredients (except the cilantro and ginger), then stir in the cilantro and ginger.

CHICKEN Stir together the chicken, spinach, peppers, bean sprouts and green onion. Stir in just enough Asian Vinaigrette dressing to lightly wet (I usually use about half). Season with salt and pepper. This makes about 5 cups so could easily serve 5 people especially if bulked up with other vegetables or additions to the salad plates.

TO SERVE Arrange spring greens on each serving plate, then mound with chicken mixture. Decoratively arrange fruit and peanuts on the plates. Serve immediately.

ALANNA's TIPS For some years, I used a 2 tablespoons of peanut oil for the dressing. These days, I cut the oil to just 2 tablespoons. That extra oil just isn't needed! For those who hew to a more traditional vinegar:oil mix or need the calories or follow oil-rich eating regimes like keto, you may want to use more than 2 tablespoons of oil. If your market carries a ready-made Asian dressing, use it to further simplify the meal’s preparation but do plan to add fresh-chopped cilantro and fresh-grated ginger, they really make a huge difference. Often, you can find sliced peppers in the salad bar, saving a step. Fresh mangoes can be tricky in the middle part of the country: when fresh mangoes aren't available, I some times rely on the ones in jars from the refrigerator section. Added bonus: no peeling or slicing! Feel free to "veg up" the chicken mixture with diced celery or carrot or broccoli or another vegetable you have on hand. It’ll add crunch along with bulk, helping to fill hungry bellies with fewer calories. Almost any fruit will do but some fruit does contrast so beautifully with the chicken and dressing mixture. That said, carb watchers? Skip the fruit, you won't miss it.

NUTRITION INFORMATION Per Serving, Assumes 4: 346 Calories; 8g Tot Fat; 2g Sat Fat; 119mg Cholesterol; 474mg Sodium; 19g Carb; 4g Fiber; 13g Sugar; 47g Protein. WEIGHT WATCHERS Old Points 7 & PointsPlus 8 & SmartPoints 8 & Freestyle 1

KEEP IT FREESTYLE FRIENDLY Be sure to use only breast meat. Free fruit doesn't work for everyone, check into Rethinking Fruit for Weight Watchers.

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More Salad Suppers for Summer

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~ more more cold supper recipes ~

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Shop Your Pantry First

(helping home cooks save money on groceries)

~ cooked chicken ~
~ limes ~
~ spinach ~
~ bell peppers ~
~ peanuts ~

~ All Recipes, By Ingredient ~
~ How to Save Money on Groceries ~

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Kitchen Parade is written by second-generation food columnist Alanna Kellogg and features fresh, seasonal dishes for every-day healthful eating and occasional indulgences. Quick Suppers are Kitchen Parade favorites and feature recipes easy on the budget, the clock, the waistline and the dishwasher. Do you have a favorite recipe that other Kitchen Parade readers might like? Just send me a quick e-mail via recipes@kitchen-parade.com. How to print a Kitchen Parade recipe. Never miss a recipe! If you like this recipe, sign up for a free e-mail subscription. If you like Kitchen Parade, you're sure to like my food blog about vegetable recipes, too, A Veggie Venture. If you make this recipe, I'd love to know your results! Just leave a comment below.

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