This bright and summery entree salad, which uses a savory apricot puree as both marinade and dressing, makes a refreshing change from the standby Chicken Caesar. The salad also works well with sliced peaches or nectarines.
| Prep Time: | 30 minutes |
| Ready in: | 40 minutes |
| Yield: | 4 servings, 2 1/2 cups each |
| Ease of Prep: | Easy |
| Recipe Ingredients | |
| 1/2 cup dried apricots | |
| 1 cup hot water | |
| 2 cups loosely packed mint leaves (about 1 bunch) | |
| 1 teaspoon freshly grated orange zest | |
| 1/2 cup orange juice | |
| 2 tablespoons honey | |
| 4 teaspoons Dijon mustard | |
| 4 teaspoons red-wine vinegar | |
| 1/2 teaspoon salt , or to taste | |
| Freshly ground pepper to taste | |
| 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil | |
| 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast , trimmed of fat | |
| 1 large head romaine lettuce , torn into bite-size pieces (10 cups) | |
| 6 fresh apricots or plums, pitted and cut into wedges | |
| 1 cup loosely packed mint leaves (about 1/2 bunch), roughly chopped | |
| 1/2 cup sliced almonds , toasted (see Tip) | |
Recipe Directions
- Preheat grill.
- To prepare marinade & dressing: Soak dried apricots in hot water for 10 minutes. Drain and transfer apricots to a food processor. Add 2 cups mint, orange zest, orange juice, honey, mustard, vinegar, salt and pepper. Process until smooth. With the motor running, gradually drizzle in oil. Reserve 1 cup for the dressing.
- To prepare salad: Transfer the remaining marinade to a large sealable plastic bag. Add chicken, seal and turn to coat. Marinate in the refrigerator for 20 minutes.
- Lightly oil the grill rack (hold a piece of oil-soaked paper towel with tongs and rub it over the grate). Grill the chicken over medium-high heat until no longer pink in the center, 6 to 8 minutes per side. (Discard the marinade.)
- Meanwhile, combine lettuce, apricot (or plum) wedges and chopped mint in a large bowl. Add the reserved dressing and toss to coat. Divide the salad among 4 plates. Slice the chicken and arrange over the salads. Sprinkle with almonds and serve.
The dressing will keep, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
Tip: To toast almonds: Spread on a baking sheet and bake at 350°F until golden brown and fragrant, 5 to 7 minutes. Toasted almonds will keep, tightly covered, at room temperature for up to 1 week.
Health Advantages: high fiber, low sat fat, low sodium, high potassium, high calcium, heart healthy, diabetes appropriate.
| Nutrition Information | ||||||||
| Servings Per Recipe: 4 | ||||||||
| Amount Per serving | ||||||||
| Calories: | 456 cal | Carbohydrate Servings: | 2 | |||||
| Carbohydrates: | 33 g | Dietary Fiber: | 10 g | Cholesterol: | 66 mg | |||
| Fat: | 20 g | Sodium: | 433 mg | Saturated Fat: | 3 g | |||
| Protein: | 34 g | Potassium: | 1281 mg | Monounsaturated Fat: | 13 g | |||
| Nutrition Bonus: | Vitamin A (230% daily value), Vitamin C (110% dv), Fiber (41% dv). | |||||||
| Exchanges: | 1 fruit, 3 vegetable, 4 lean meat, 1fat (mono) | |||||||



