Tasty Apple & Avocado Chicken Salad Recipe

Mini-me is home for the summer and that means eating extra healthy and spending more time in the kitchen. (Oh, dear God).

We usually enjoy bonding while baking, but last week we decided to expand our culinary repertoire to salads. I’m shocked too.

Here’s the dinner we whipped up for the family. It was light and easy and turned out better than we expected. And I didn’t feel guilty at all eating chocolate chip cookies for dessert.

Apple & Avocado Chicken Salad:

2 1/2 rotisserie or BBQ’d chicken breasts diced
1 head red leaf lettuce
1/2 avocado diced
1 large Fuji apple diced
1 medium cucumber diced
2 carrots, peeled and shredded
1/4 cup shaved almonds to sprinkle on top

*Optional: grilled corn or zucchini

Avocado Vinaigrette:

1-1 1/2 medium garlic clove
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 1/2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
2 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
dash of Worcestershire sauce
1 avocado, peeled, pitted, and sliced into quarters
dash of cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup light virgin olive oil

Blend all ingredients, except olive oil, in a blender or food processor, slowly adding the olive oil in a steady stream. Toss salad in dressing right before serving. Serve alone or with whole wheat pitas or tortillas.

*FYI, this dressing, minus the olive oil, makes a delicious sandwich-spread or dip
** These recipes were adapted from Jessica Strand’s Salad Dressings