Written by: Christina Dauer, MPH, RD, LD/N, CDE
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Makes: 2 servings
This is a delicious and beautiful salad that makes a great weekday dinner or would be sure to wow guests on the weekend! This recipe is adapted from the Plated meal delivery service to decrease calories, sodium and fat by using less salt and oil in the recipe, and swapping mayonnaise for plain Greek yogurt. Enjoy!
Ingredients
½ teaspoon ground cumin
¼ teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon smoked paprika
2 teaspoons honey, divided
¼ cup fresh lime juice, divided
2 cloves garlic, minced and divided
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
¼ and 1/8 teaspoon salt, divided
Black pepper to taste
¼ cup plain low-fat Greek yogurt
¼ cup cilantro leaves
½ jalapeno pepper, chopped (use up to half depending on taste preference)
1 tablespoon Champagne vinegar
1 boneless skinless chicken breast (about 10 ounces), sliced in half lengthwise to make 2 thin fillets
1 avocado, halved and pit discarded
3 ounces baby arugula (or your favorite salad green)
1 red bell pepper, halved lengthwise and into ¼ inch strips
Directions
1. Preheat grill to medium heat.
2. In a large shallow bowl or resealable plastic bag, whisk together cumin, oregano and paprika, 1 teaspoon of honey, 1 tablespoon of the lime juice, ½ of minced garlic, and 1 tablespoon olive oil; Add chicken breast to marinade and turn to coat. Set aside to marinate at room temperature until ready to grill.
3. While chicken marinates, make the Aji Verde. In a blender or food processor, combine Greek yogurt, cilantro, 2 tablespoons of lime juice, chopped jalapeno, remaining garlic, ¼ teaspoon of salt and black pepper, and blend until smooth. Stream in 1 tablespoon olive oil until sauce is pourable. If you do not have a blender or food processor, you can finely chop the cilantro and jalapeno and whisk in remaining ingredients until combined.
4. To make dressing: In a large bowl (big enough for the salad), whisk together Champagne vinegar, 1 tablespoon of lime juice, 1 teaspoon honey, 1/8 teaspoon salt and black pepper as desired. Whisking continuously, slowly add 2 tablespoons of olive oil until fully combined.
Combine arugula in the bowl with red bell pepper but wait to toss with dressing until ready to serve.
5. Grill the marinated chicken until lightly charred, cooked through and no longer pink, 3-4 minutes/side. Transfer chicken to a plate and cover loosely with foil to keep warm. Meanwhile grill avocado halves, cut side down, until lightly charred, 2-3 minutes.
6. Using a spoon, carefully scoop out avocado flesh and discard skin. Cut chicken into ¼-inch pieces. Toss salad to fully coat with dressing (or have dressing on the side), then divide between plates. Top with grilled chicken, avocado and a drizzle of Aji Verde.
Nutritional Information:
Serving size: 1 breast and ½ avocado, on top of half the salad greens
Calories: 580, Sat Fat: 6g, Protein: 42g, Carbohydrates: 28g, Fiber: 9g, Sodium: 580mg