Potato and pasta salad are staples of summer barbecues, but the tasty dishes can make your swimsuit feel a lot more snug. Here is a guilt-free seasonal salad you can make in minutes.
Vanderbilt University Health Educator Stacey Kendrick has a healthier alternative.
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"Today we're making an Asian chicken salad; it's not a mayonnaise based chicken salad" she said.
First, brush your bone in chicken breast with olive oil and add a little pepper and salt.
"If you're on a salt restricted diet you could certainly leave the salt off if you needed to," Kendrick explained.
Leave the skin on to keep the chicken juicy; cut up red and yellow pepper and two scallions. Then toast some hearty healthy almonds and sesame seeds.
Next make the dressing with vegetable oil, cider vinegar, low fat creamy peanut butter, honey, soy sauce, sesame oil, and minced garlic.
When the chicken's cooked, throw the skin away and pull the chicken apart, then mix it with your other ingredients.
Serve the Asian Chicken Salad cold and you have, "a great summer dish," Kendrick said.
The Asian Chicken Salad is about 500-calories per serving.
ASIAN STYLE CHICKEN SALAD
(Printable Recipe Here)
INGREDIENTS:
- 6 split chicken breasts with the bone-in
- Approx. 1/8 cup olive oil
- Cooking spray
- Salt and pepper
- 1 red pepper and 1 yellow pepper
- 4 scallions
- ½ cup slivered almonds
- ÂĽ cup black and ÂĽ cup regular sesame seeds
DRESSING:
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- ÂĽ cup rice wine vinegar (or you can use cider vinegar)
- 1/3 cup low-sodium soy sauce
- 4 tablespoons sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 3-4 garlic cloves
- ½ cup peanut butter
- Salt and pepper
Â
RECIPE:
SERVE COLD:
Try it on a bed of crunchy cabbage or romaine lettuce for a one dish summer meal, or in a lettuce wrap for a deliciously light party appetizer.
Variations: This recipe also works great with snow peas and /or water chestnuts added for more crunch. Try hot pepper flakes for some heat.