I made this salad last summer and I remember it being so delicious! So delicious in fact that I have been eagerly anticipating summer just so I could make it.
Mexican Chopped Salad with Honey Lime Vinaigrette
makes 4 servings
adapted from Self
Romaine lettuce (about 8 leaves)
2 chicken breasts
1 can (15.5 oz.) black beans, rinsed and well-drained
2 tomatoes, seeded and diced
3/4 cup canned corn
2 small radishes, thinly sliced
1 red bell pepper, diced
4 oz. feta cheese (the original recipe calls for fat-free, but I opt for the cheapest option at the supermarket which is full-fat)
1/2 red onion (the prettiest way to go, but I improvised and used up what I had in the fridge -- 1/4 white onion and 2 scallions)
Avocado
Dressing
2 limes (1/4 cup juice)
1 tbsp. olive oil
2 tbsp. honey
2 tbsp. fresh cilantro, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 - 2 tsp. finely chopped jalapeño (I used a little less than half)
Cook chicken breast for about 10 minutes in a small amount of oil, until cooked through. Set aside and cool.
In a large bowl, mix all ingredients for salad except the lettuce and avocado. Mix a few times to bring the ingredients together. Prepare the dressing and pour about half over the salad mixture. Divide into containers for lunch. Chop the romaine and add on top of the divided salad mixture. Pour the remaining dressing equally over the four salads. Each day, add 1/4 of the avocado to the salad before eating.
Costs
Red bell pepper $2.79
Jalapeño pepper $.18
Romaine lettuce $2.15
Corn $1.69
Black beans $1.09
Cilantro $1.39
Feta cheese $2.60
Tomatoes $3.19 (for three)
Avocado $1.99
Chicken breast $5.39 (for two)
Total: $22.46
Cost per meal: $5.62
Nutritional info: 536 calories, 19g fat, 6g saturated, 98mg cholesterol, 52g carbohydrate, 14g fiber, 14g sugar, 43g protein, 86% vitamin A, 99% vitamin C, 22% calcium, 26% iron. Also a good source of vitamin K (101%), niacin (72%) and folate (65%).
Showing posts with label chicken. Show all posts
Showing posts with label chicken. Show all posts
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
Monday, June 23, 2008
Chicken Fajitas
One of my summer favourites, I prepared this to have on hand for the week's dinner. Usually chicken breast would be a more typical choice, but chicken thighs were at a very good price at the supermarket and I happened to have a fifth in my freezer, so it worked out well. Also a nice way to use up the 1/2 bell pepper I had in my fridge from last week's Three Bean Salad.
Cilantro Lime Marinade
makes enough for 4 - 5 pieces of chicken
adapted slightly from The Joy of Cooking
2 limes (1/4 cup lime juice)
1 tbsp olive or vegetable oil
3 tablespoons chopped cilantro
2 scallions, chopped (if you don't have scallions, substitute with 1/2 small red onion, diced)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 tsp. cumin
1/4 tsp. coriander
1 tsp. red pepper flakes
1/8 tsp. anise (optional)
Last night I marinated one of the chicken thighs in the marinade while I prepared the rest of the ingredients for fajitas and meals for the rest of the week, placing the other four chicken thighs in a ziplock bag with the marinade once I began cooking the marinated thigh. They're sitting in the ziplock bag and I'll either cook them tonight in the stove or the oven. Another idea would be to cut chicken breast into strips and marinade or freeze so that the chicken pieces are ready to use at a later date. Thighs are not really typical fajita meat, but as I said before, they were very cheap so that trumped tradition.
I also prepared some rice (1/2 cup dry cooking with half a chicken bouillon cube), a can of low sodium black beans cooked with about a half cup good salsa), and 1/2 bell pepper and 1/4 white onion sautéed in a small amount of olive oil and a bit of the Cilantro Lime marinade. I made two fajitas using small, 6-inch whole wheat tortillas, topped with 1/2 chopped tomato, a bit of grated cheddar cheese and a dash of hot sauce.
Now I've got some good things waiting for me in the fridge for the week that I can use either separately or combine into other things -- I might turn two of the chicken thighs into meat for a chicken salad one night, or use the rice later on for fried rice. Vamos a ver, as the Spanish would say.
Cost of certain ingredients (other than what I had on hand):
4 Chicken Thighs $1.63
Cilantro $1.39
Green Bell Pepper $.46
Black beans $.99
3 Limes $.38
Scallions $.89 (also using this for this week's lunch recipe)
Total: $5.74
Cilantro Lime Marinade
makes enough for 4 - 5 pieces of chicken
adapted slightly from The Joy of Cooking
2 limes (1/4 cup lime juice)
1 tbsp olive or vegetable oil
3 tablespoons chopped cilantro
2 scallions, chopped (if you don't have scallions, substitute with 1/2 small red onion, diced)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 tsp. cumin
1/4 tsp. coriander
1 tsp. red pepper flakes
1/8 tsp. anise (optional)
Last night I marinated one of the chicken thighs in the marinade while I prepared the rest of the ingredients for fajitas and meals for the rest of the week, placing the other four chicken thighs in a ziplock bag with the marinade once I began cooking the marinated thigh. They're sitting in the ziplock bag and I'll either cook them tonight in the stove or the oven. Another idea would be to cut chicken breast into strips and marinade or freeze so that the chicken pieces are ready to use at a later date. Thighs are not really typical fajita meat, but as I said before, they were very cheap so that trumped tradition.
I also prepared some rice (1/2 cup dry cooking with half a chicken bouillon cube), a can of low sodium black beans cooked with about a half cup good salsa), and 1/2 bell pepper and 1/4 white onion sautéed in a small amount of olive oil and a bit of the Cilantro Lime marinade. I made two fajitas using small, 6-inch whole wheat tortillas, topped with 1/2 chopped tomato, a bit of grated cheddar cheese and a dash of hot sauce.
Now I've got some good things waiting for me in the fridge for the week that I can use either separately or combine into other things -- I might turn two of the chicken thighs into meat for a chicken salad one night, or use the rice later on for fried rice. Vamos a ver, as the Spanish would say.
Cost of certain ingredients (other than what I had on hand):
4 Chicken Thighs $1.63
Cilantro $1.39
Green Bell Pepper $.46
Black beans $.99
3 Limes $.38
Scallions $.89 (also using this for this week's lunch recipe)
Total: $5.74
Monday, June 16, 2008
Lunch: Three Bean Salad with Chicken
In order to really like this meal, you've got to already have an inclination for traditional three bean salad. This is a simple, light meal that gets better as the week goes on and the marinade has time to deepen. This recipe is a combination/alteration of various ones I saw doing research on this typical summer picnic dish.
Three Bean Salad with Chicken
makes 4 lunches
1/2 lb. fresh green beans, trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces
1 can (15 oz.) red kidney beans, well-rinsed
1 can (15 oz.) garbanzo beans, well-rinsed
2 radishes, thinly diced
1/2 green bell pepper, diced
1/2 red onion, diced
1 chicken breast, seasoned with salt and pepper
1 tbsp. fresh parsley
1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp Sherry vinegar (or red wine)
2 tsps. dijon mustard (I used a tsp each of a smooth yellow dijon and a grainy one)
1 1/2 tsps. sugar
salt
pepper
Heat about 1/2 tbsp olive oil in a sauté pan. When the oil has become heated, add the chicken. Cook through, approximately 10 minutes. Let cool for a long time, at least 1/2 hour.
Bring a saucepan of water to a boil. Add green beans and cook for about 7 minutes. After 7 minutes, immediately drain and wash in cold water to stop cooking.
In a mixing bowl, combine kidney beans, garbanzo beans, radishes, bell pepper, onion and parsley. Combine, then add cooled green beans. Combine again.
Make the vinaigrette by combining 1 tbsp olive oil with 2 tbsp Sherry vinegar, the two different mustards, and sugar. Whisk, then pour over salad and mix. Dice chicken and add, stirring again.
Costs
Green Beans $1.12
Garbanzo beans $.79
Red kidney beans $.79
Radishes $.79
Sherry vinegar $6.15
Red onion $.60 (I only used half)
Green pepper $1.13 (again, only used half)
Chicken breast $1.66
Total: $13.03
Cost per lunch: $3.26
Nutritional information per serving: 348 calories (59 fat calories), 7g total fat, 1g saturated fat, 46g total carbohydrate, 13g dietary fiber, 5g sugar, 25g protein, vitamin a (10%), vitamin c (40%), calcium (10%), iron (21%). Also a good source of vitamin B6 (46%) and Manganese (50%).
Three Bean Salad with Chicken
makes 4 lunches
1/2 lb. fresh green beans, trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces
1 can (15 oz.) red kidney beans, well-rinsed
1 can (15 oz.) garbanzo beans, well-rinsed
2 radishes, thinly diced
1/2 green bell pepper, diced
1/2 red onion, diced
1 chicken breast, seasoned with salt and pepper
1 tbsp. fresh parsley
1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp Sherry vinegar (or red wine)
2 tsps. dijon mustard (I used a tsp each of a smooth yellow dijon and a grainy one)
1 1/2 tsps. sugar
salt
pepper
Heat about 1/2 tbsp olive oil in a sauté pan. When the oil has become heated, add the chicken. Cook through, approximately 10 minutes. Let cool for a long time, at least 1/2 hour.
Bring a saucepan of water to a boil. Add green beans and cook for about 7 minutes. After 7 minutes, immediately drain and wash in cold water to stop cooking.
In a mixing bowl, combine kidney beans, garbanzo beans, radishes, bell pepper, onion and parsley. Combine, then add cooled green beans. Combine again.
Make the vinaigrette by combining 1 tbsp olive oil with 2 tbsp Sherry vinegar, the two different mustards, and sugar. Whisk, then pour over salad and mix. Dice chicken and add, stirring again.
Costs
Green Beans $1.12
Garbanzo beans $.79
Red kidney beans $.79
Radishes $.79
Sherry vinegar $6.15
Red onion $.60 (I only used half)
Green pepper $1.13 (again, only used half)
Chicken breast $1.66
Total: $13.03
Cost per lunch: $3.26
Nutritional information per serving: 348 calories (59 fat calories), 7g total fat, 1g saturated fat, 46g total carbohydrate, 13g dietary fiber, 5g sugar, 25g protein, vitamin a (10%), vitamin c (40%), calcium (10%), iron (21%). Also a good source of vitamin B6 (46%) and Manganese (50%).
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