Light Chicken Salad

Are you searching for that perfect, light and satisfying summer meal?  Are you looking to reduce the fat and calories while improving the nutritional value of homemade chicken salad, all without sacrificing flavor?  Look no further; this is a no fuss recipe for a light chicken salad that is absolutely delicious.  The salad can be served for lunch or as a light supper, perfect for that hot, humid summer day.  The salad is perfect on a hot, humid summer day and can be served for lunch or as a light supper.  

You will see that this is a lower calorie, lower fat chicken salad recipe.  To make this recipe you simply simmer the seasoned, boneless, skinless chicken breasts in water.  The base for the dressing is light mayonnaise and low-fat plain yogurt.  To that I add Dijon mustard, honey, chopped celery, sliced scallions, dried cherries, and top it all with toasted pecans.  That’s it, how simple is that?  The salad would also work well if it were tossed with some tart or sweet apples, dried cranberries, or sliced grapes.  Toasted walnuts would be a great substitution for the pecans. You can be creative with the fruit you decide to toss in.  One thing though, let the chicken be the star in this cast of ingredients.

The recipe for Chicken Salad with Pecans & Dried Cherries appeared in Eating Well magazine.  I made it twice, first as it was written, and again with a few minor changes of my own.  The recipe here is my slightly altered version.   I felt the original recipe needed a bit more seasoning and flavor.  Either way, it is a perfect light salad.  And I must say, one of the best chicken salads I have eaten.

 This chicken salad recipe has been adapted from the recipe, Chicken Salad with Pecans & Dried Cherries, published in the August 2013 edition of Eating Well magazine. 

Enjoy!

Light Chicken Salad

Makes about 4 – 5 servings, depending on portion size

4 Boneless, skinless chicken breast halves; rinsed and patted dry

½ Tsp. Sea salt
¼ Tsp. Ground black pepper
¼ Tsp. Onion powder
¼ Tsp. Garlic powder
½ Cup Light mayonnaise (use a good brand)
One 6-ounce container of low-fat, plain yogurt (not fat-free)
¾ Tbls. Dijon mustard
¾ Tbls. Honey
½ Cup Chopped celery, include an additional 1/4 cup of the leaves too
2 Scallions (use both the white and green parts) sliced
¼ Cup Dried Cherries
Salad Greens, such as spinach mixed with a spring mix, romaine, etc.
½ Cup Chopped pecans, lightly toasted – used for topping the salad

In a small bowl, make a spice blend by combining the salt, black pepper, onion powder and garlic powder – using the spice blend, season both sides of the chicken breasts.   Place the seasoned chicken in a deep skillet, arrange in a single layer; add cold water to the skillet, enough to just barely cover the chicken breasts.  Place the skillet on your stovetop, bring the water up to a low to medium simmer; continue to cook the chicken (turn the chicken over to its other side halfway through the cooking).  Simmer the chicken for about 10 – 12 minutes per side – or longer depending on the size of your chicken breasts.  Continue to cook until the breasts are no longer pink inside.  If you prefer, use a meat thermometer to check for doneness.  Once they are completely cooked, remove the chicken to a platter and set aside to cool.  Discard the cooking liquid.

Meanwhile, make the dressing by combining the mayonnaise, yogurt, mustard and honey in a large mixing bowl; whisk until nice and smooth.  To the dressing, add the celery, scallions, and cherries; stir to combine.  Set aside.

When the cooked chicken has cooled, cut each breast lengthwise into ½- inch strips, and then cut the strips into bite-size pieces.  Place the cut chicken in the bowl with the dressing mixture; stir well to completely coat the chicken.  Cover the bowl and refrigerate overnight, or for several hours before serving to allow all the flavors to meld. (I store mine overnight.)

When you are ready to serve, stir the salad, and simply arrange a bed of salad greens in the center of each dinner plate, top with a scoop of chicken salad and sprinkle the toasted pecans on top.

Leftovers should be stored in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 1 day.

 Enjoy!

Cheddar Shrimp Nachos-HHC Style

The recipe for Cheddar Shrimp Nachos appeared in the October/November 2005 issue of, Taste of Home magazine.  I have since adapted it.

This is definitely a crowd pleaser in our house!  If you have a large group of people you may want to double the recipe, as they are gone almost instantaneously once they come out of the oven.  I have been making this recipe ever since it appeared in the magazine.  It is not just for the holidays, you can serve it as an appetizer for any gathering in your home.  They need to be served warm out of the oven.  I would not transport them cooked, rather make the mixture at home, then assemble and bake them at your destination.

 
I have not changed the recipe much, but I now make these nachos using light mayonnaise and low-fat cheddar cheese.  Also, the original recipe called for ripe olives, I use green olives stuffed with pimentos. 

Enjoy!

Cheddar Shrimp Nachos-HHC Style

Makes about 48 scoops

3/4 pound cooked medium shrimp, peeled and deveined, chopped

1-1/2 cups (6 ounces) shredded low-fat cheddar cheese

1 can (4 ounces) chopped green chilies, drained

1/3 cup chopped green onion, both white and green parts

1/4 cup sliced green olives, drained and chopped

1/2 cup light mayonnaise

1/4 Tsp. ground cumin

48 tortilla chip scoops (multi-grain scoops would also work well)

Note:  The entire mixture can be prepared the night before and kept in a covered container in the refrigerator until you are ready to assemble them.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the first seven ingredients (not the tortilla chip scoops) and mix thoroughly.  Cover and place the mixture in the refrigerator for about 2 hours - this gives the flavors time to meld. 

When ready to bake, place a heaping teaspoonful of the mixture into each tortilla chip scoop.  Place each on foil lined baking sheet pans.

Bake in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for 5-10 minutes, or until cheese is melted.  Serve immediately.