Pesto Chicken Paradise

I've been loving me some pesto lately, so when I saw this recipe in my inbox from Skinny&theCity, just had to put it here.

A mayo-free chicken salad (that still tastes great!)

Salad is my go-to lunch on most days of the week. With the right ingredients, it can be a delicious, nutrient-packed meal. But many take-out salads from restaurants leave you with more than you bargained for in terms of calories, fat, and sodium. Sometimes you think you’re ordering a healthy meal because it’s called a “salad” but it’s really a 1,000+ calorie diet killer!

That’s why I love the restaurant chain, Just Salad. With a menu created by registered dietitian and chef Laura Pensiero, all the salads are healthy and delicious. Those of us fortunate enough to live near one of the locations in New York City or Hong Kong can enjoy ordering from them. The rest of us can seek inspiration from the inventive ingredients like butternut squash, artichoke hearts, dried cranberries, multigrain croutons, and condiments like lemon vinaigrette and pesto.

Want an exact recipe? You’re in luck: Chef Laura let us in on the secret of one of her delicious creations: Pesto Chicken Paradise. This is simple to make but tastes gourmet. For more ideas, check out justsalad.com!

Pesto Chicken Paradise

Total Time: 25 minutes

Serves: 6








Ingredients For Pesto Chicken

* 12 ounces cooked chicken breasts
* 3 tablespoons pesto sauce (homemade or store bought)
* 6 ounces arugula leaves
* 6 ounces mesclun mix
* 1 clove garlic, crushed
* 1 ½ cup broccoli florets, steamed until tender
* ½ cup almonds, blanched and slivered
* ½ red onion, thinly sliced
* ¼ cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
  
Ingredients For Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing (makes about 1 cup)

* ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
* 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
* 1 clove garlic, crushed
* ¾ cup extra virgin olive oil

Directions:
1)   Preheat oven to 400°F.
2)   Slather the already cooked chicken breasts with pesto sauce and bake for about 5 minutes, until bubbly and slightly browned.
3)   Remove from oven and place in a large mixing bowl.
4)   Add the arugula, mesclun, sun dried tomatoes, almonds, and red onions to the bowl. Toss with about ½ cup of balsamic vinaigrette and serve.

Nutrition Content:
Per serving (about 2/3 cup): 341 calories, 24 g fat, 3 g saturated fat, 11 g carbohydrate, 3.5 g fiber, 22 g protein, 200 mg sodium            

Note: Although most of the fat in this salad is from heart healthy olive oil, if you’d like to lighten it up a bit, simply use a little more vinegar and less oil. Enjoy!


—Lauren Graf, MS, RD