Walnuts and basil flavor this simple chicken salad. It's a flavorful salad that is easy to put together. The only cooking is to toast the walnuts to enhance their flavor. So, it's perfect for a hot summer night.
With using store-bought chicken, this dinner can be ready in less than 10 minutes.
Helpful Hints
Any type of cooked chicken can be used, such as chicken strips or rotisserie chicken.
Almonds or pecans can be used instead of walnuts.
Countdown
Toast walnuts.
Mix mayonnaise and tomatoes together for the sauce.
Complete the salad.
Shopping List
To buy: one package walnuts, one jar reduced-fat mayonnaise, one can reduced-sodium canned diced tomatoes, one package cooked boneless, skinless, chicken breast strips or rotisserie chicken breast, one bunch celery, one bunch basil, two whole wheat rolls.
Linda Gassenheimer is the author of over 30 cookbooks, including her newest, "The 12-Week Diabetes Cookbook."
Listen to Linda on www.WDNA.org and all major podcast sites. Email her at [email protected].
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WALNUT CHICKEN SALAD
Yield: 2 servings
1/4 cup broken walnuts
1/4 cup reduced-fat mayonnaise
1 cup reduced-sodium canned diced tomato, drained
10 ounces cooked boneless, skinless, chicken breast
4 cups washed, ready-to-eat salad greens, torn into 2- to 3-inch pieces
1/2 cup sliced celery
1/4 cup fresh basil torn into bite-size pieces
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 whole wheat rolls
Place walnuts on a foil lined baking sheet in a toaster oven or under a broiler and heat 1 to 2 minutes. Watch to see they don't burn. Mix mayonnaise and tomatoes in a medium-size bowl. Cut chicken into 1/2 to 1-inch cubes. Add to a bowl. Add walnuts, celery, basil and salt and pepper to taste. Toss well. Divide lettuce leaves between two plates. Spoon chicken salad over leaves. Serve with the rolls.
Per serving: 579 calories (41 percent from fat), 26.3 g fat (3.4 g saturated,6.3 g monounsaturated), 126 mg cholesterol, 48.7 g protein, 35.6 g carbohydrates, 9.6 g fiber, 463 mg sodium.