A Fresh Spin on a Classic Dish

Although summer is drawing to a close, we (in the north) still have a few warm days left to enjoy.  And, I don’t know about you, but on warm days I prefer to eat light. For me, that means salad … vegetable salad, fruit salad, tuna salad, chicken salad … I love ‘em all! Although I’ve recently posted a recipe for one of my favorite chicken salads, Grilled Chicken Salad with Strawberries, I do have one more that I’d like to share. This salad is great with a side of fruit or in pita bread. It’s substantial and filling and I think you’ll enjoy it!

1/2 cup light mayonnaise
1/2 cup light sour cream
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 lbs skinned/boned chicken breasts, cooked & chopped
3 cups seedless red & green grapes, halved
1 cup chopped pecans, toasted
Lettuce leaves (optional)

Stir together 1/2 cup of mayonnaise and next 4 ingredients in a large bowl. Add chopped chicken and grapes, tossing gently to coat. Cover and chill at least 1 hour. Stir in toasted pecans just before serving. Place one scoop of salad over lettuce leaves.

Note:  I’ve varied this recipe by leaving out the sour cream (increasing the mayonnaise a little) and lemon juice and adding some honey. Also very good!

Estimated nutritional value (6 servings): Calories 287, Total Fat 24 g, Cholesterol 28.6 mg, Sodium 572 mg, Potassium 326 mg, Carbs 19.5 g, Protein 8.5 g

(Original recipe found in Southern Living Magazine)

During the dog days of summer, it’s just too hot to cook! Summer is the time to enjoy outdoor grilling and take advantage of the large selection of fresh fruit and vegetables found at the local farmer’s market. This month’s recipe is an easy to prepare, light salad that can be made with any seasonal berry, plus it’s refreshing as well as satisfying. You can use your favorite lettuce, even though Bibb is suggested here. Drizzle on your dressing of choice (sweet dressings such as poppy seed compliment this dish immensely) and enjoy!

Grilled Chicken Salad with Strawberries

Prep Time:  15 minutes Cook Time:  20 minutes                      Ready In: 35 Min

Ingredients:

• 1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
• 1 cup sliced strawberries
• 1/2 cup sliced english  cucumber
• 1/2 cup pecans
• 2 heads Bibb lettuce – rinsed, dried and torn

Directions

1. Preheat the grill for high heat.
2. Lightly oil the grill grate. Grill chicken 8 minutes on each side, or until juices run clear. Remove from heat, cool, and slice.
3. Arrange lettuce on serving plates. Top with grilled chicken slices, strawberries, cucumbers and pecans*.
4. Drizzle with salad dressing of choice and serve.

*If you like, you can toast the pecans by placing them in a dry skillet over medium-high heat and cooking them until their fragrant, stirring frequently (about 8 minutes).

Nutritional info (without dressing):  Calories 97.3 | Total Fat 7.5 g | Cholesterol 6.9 mg | Sodium 10.8 mg | Potassium 254.7 mg | Carbs 4.6 g | Protein 4.5 g