Power Salad with Chicken – Healthy and Tasty
This healthy chicken salad recipe makes a tasty, nutrient-packed, satisfying meal. Even my meat-loving sons like this salad. It’s the perfect main course when you want to eat light but still get some satisfying protein and great flavor.
What makes it a power salad? It’s packed with nutrition, textures, and flavors. Though it may seem like a lot of meal prep, it’s really not. You can make the chicken ahead of time and have it on hand for sandwiches and pasta dishes as well as this salad recipe.
Be Generous with Salad Greens and Other Veggies
You can eat a really big salad and still be eating low calorie and low carbohydrate. For example, a whole head of iceburg lettuce contains only 30 calories. Half a head of romaine has about 50 calories. Eat as much as you want!
I also add spinach to my healthy chicken salad for iron. All greens are low calorie and full of nutrients, but the dark green ones like spinach and kale are real nutritional powerhouses. They have lots of fiber, too.
You can add whatever veggies and fresh herbs you like: cucumber, tomatoes, peppers, green onions, dill, fresh parsley, cilantro. Cilantro is a key ingredient in the avocado green goddess dressing I put on this salad.
Add Sweetness, Fiber, and Vitamins to Your Healthy Salad with Fruit
Strawberry and orange slices add more fiber and vitamin C, and the juices add flavor to the whole salad. A few dried cranberries add extra sweetness and nutrition. You could also add sliced red grapes — whatever fruit you like.
Top with Lime Cilantro Grilled Chicken for Protein
Cooked chicken makes this salad substantial and satisfying. Even my kids who hate salads enjoy this salad with my lime cilantro marinated chicken. If you’re in a rush, you can also grab a rotisserie chicken at the store.
A classic chicken salad mixes cooked chicken with mayo and maybe a few pieces of celery for crunch. That’s great for a chicken salad sandwich, but in this salad, we’re going lighter. The chicken breasts marinate in a low-calorie marinade and are so tender that you won’t feel like you need to drown them in mayo.
Click here for my Lime Cilantro Grilled Chicken recipe.
Easy, Light Green Goddess Avocado Dressing
My Green Goddess dressing uses Greek yogurt (can be low fat or fat free) and fresh avocado for creamy texture instead of mayo.
Fresh garlic, red onion, lemon juice or lime juice and zest, and fresh parsley give it flavor without lots of fat. I do put some fat in salad dressing because it helps the body absorb the iron and other nutrients.
This dressing keeps in the fridge for a week’s worth of salads.
Enjoy your healthy salad! Let me know in the comments how you like it.
Healthy Power Salad with Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 large head of iceberg lettuce rinsed and chopped
- 1 cup spinach leaves or mixed seasonal greens
- 1 1/2 cups strawberries sliced
- 1 1/2 cups orange slices
- 1 cup pecans toasted
- 1 cup red onions chopped
- 1 cup dried cranberries
- 1 cup goat cheese crumbled
- Lime Marinated Chicken sliced
Instructions
- In a large bowl, toss together all ingredients except the chicken. Slice the lime marinated chicken across the grain and place it on top of the salad. Top with Green Goddess Avocado Dressing.
This salad with the marinated chicken is so good. It’s helped me keep on track with a healthy diet so that I can splurge on a piece of birthday cake this week!