Chicken Salad with Pecans and Dried Craisins

By Kay MacInnis

 

 

Here’s one of our recipes from this month’s Providence Cooks! class on Healthy Lunches. At our Aug. 4 class, we took one chicken and made five different recipe options to include as part of a Healthy Lunch. I will be sharing those recipes over the next couple of weeks.

This chicken salad is a great “light” meal to have on these hot days. It is one of those things you can eat and not feel miserable after you are finished. We used only enough yogurt to help bind the salad ingredients together, which helps decrease the fat content. The craisins and pecans add nice flavor.

You can serve this in a pineapple boat and also add some pineapple to the salad for a slightly different twist. This is a very refreshing salad.

If pecans aren’t your favorite, try using walnuts or almonds. Nuts can fit into a heart-healthy eating plan. Nuts can lower the LDL (low density lipoprotein) or “bad” cholesterol level in the bloodstream. Nuts are also a great source of protein, omega 3 and fiber. They also provide vitamin E, plant sterols and L-arginine, all of which can help reduce our risks for heart disease.

Oh, yeah: If you want to decrease calories, just cut down on the nuts and craisins – or skip them if you want!

Ingredients:

• 1 ¼ lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breast, trimmed
• 1/3 cup low-fat plain yogurt
• ¼ tsp. freshly ground pepper
• 1 head Boston or butterhead lettuce, trimmed
• ½ cup dried tart craisins, chopped
• ½ cup pecans, toasted and chopped
• ½ tsp. salt, divided
• 1 tbsp. honey mustard
• ½ cup thinly sliced celery

Preparation:

1. Place chicken in a medium skillet or saucepan.*
2. Cover with water & add ¼ tsp. salt. Bring to a boil.
3. Cover, reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer and cook until the chicken is no longer pink in the middle, 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer to a plate to cool.*
4. Meanwhile, combine yogurt, mustard, pepper and the remaining ¼ tsp. salt in a bowl.
5. When the chicken is cool enough to handle, cut into bite-size pieces.
6. Add the chicken, celery, pecans and crannies to the bowl with the dressing and toss to combine.
7. Divide lettuce leaves among 4 plates and top with about 1 cup of chicken salad each.

*If you have cooked chicken breast on hand, skip Step 1 and use 3 cups chopped chicken in Step 3.

Nutrition Information: 396.5 Calories, 18.28 grams fat, 25.87 grams carbohydrate, 33.89 grams protein, 3.65 grams fiber and 422.25 mg sodium.

 

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This is another in a weekly series of healthy recipes from Kay MacInnis, registered dietitian at Providence Hospitals in Columbia.

Kay works in Health and Wellness at Providence, helping cardiac and diabetes patients eat their way to healthier lives. She’s not a chef herself, but in consultation with the actual chefs at Providence, she’s learned a lot over the years as she has worked to help patients help themselves after they leave the hospital.

She also conducts a number of health and wellness events for the public, including the monthly Providence Cooks! classes.

 

 

 

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