For a healthy variation, on creamy chicken salad, we’ve replaced half the mayonnaise with basil pesto. Serve over greens or make it into a sandwich for a healthy lunch.
Creamy Pesto Chicken Salad With Greens
Serves 4
Active time: 30 minutes
Total time: 30 minutes
Ingredients:
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, trimmed
1/4 cup pesto
1/4 cup low-fat mayonnaise
3 tablespoons finely chopped red onion
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
1 5-ounce package mixed salad greens (about 8 cups)
1 pint grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
Directions:
Place chicken in a medium saucepan, and add water to cover by 1 inch. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer gently until no longer pink in the middle, 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer to a clean cutting board; shred the chicken into bite-size pieces when cool enough to handle.
Combine pesto, mayonnaise and onion in a medium bowl. Add the chicken, and toss to coat. Whisk oil, vinegar, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Add greens and tomatoes, and toss to coat. Divide the green salad among 4 plates, and top with the chicken salad.
Recipe nutrition per serving: 324 calories; 20 grams fat (4 grams saturated, 11 grams monounsaturated); 71 milligrams cholesterol; 9 grams carbohydrate; 1 gram added sugars; 3 grams total sugars; 27 grams protein; 2 grams fiber; 454 milligrams sodium; and 542 milligrams potassium.
Nutrition bonus: Vitamin A, 36 percent daily value; vitamin C, 29 percent DV; potassium, 16 percent DV; and calcium and iron, 15 percent DV.
Exchanges: 1 vegetable, 3 1/2 lean meat and 3 fat.
EatingWell is a magazine and website devoted to healthy eating as a way of life. Find it online at www.eatingwell.com.