Aromatic Poached Chicken Salad with Spicy Green Sauce

If you are on a mission to lose excess weight, manage your blood sugar or are simply looking for a healthy delicious option you can make at home!   

This Green Salad is high in protein, low in carbohydrate and has plenty of good healthy fats, which makes it perfect for a healthy filling lunch.  
It is gluten free & dairy free which makes it a great anti-inflammatory option.

Enjoy! 

Serves 4

Stage 1

2 chicken Breasts or 1 whole chicken

2 sticks celery

1 brown onion

4 sprigs thyme

4 garlic cloves

Rind of 1 lemon

1 tsp black peppercorn

Place all ingredients in to a pot, bring to the boil and turn to simmer for 20minutes for chicken breast or 1 hour for whole chicken. Skim the top of stock whilst the chicken is poaching.

Remove the chicken and let cool, shred as desired.

Stage 2

Salad ingredients

250 gm of broccoli florettes and trimmed stems

1 bunch asparagus spears, cut in to 3

1 bulb of fennel – shaved on a mandolin/slicer

½ red onion – fine sliced

1 lebanese cucumber – stripe the cucumber with a peeler, and cut lengthways into 2 cm pieces

100gm sunflower seeds – in a bowl with 1 tbs honey and 50ml olive oil and roast in oven for 10 minutes, leave to cool.

200gm dried Canellini Beans – soaked overnight, boil until soft, strain and leave to cool for salad ( these will stay in the fridge for 2-4 days if dressed with olive oil/ avocado oil. Or Rinse Canned version and use straight away.

Dressing – green sauce – place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth

½ bunch flat leaf parsley

½ bunch fresh mint

1/2 bunch raw kale

1 green long chilli ( with seeds)

100gm roasted walnuts

1 clove garlic

1 tsp dried mint

1 tsp Dijon mustard

50ml red wine vinegar or lemon juice

salt and pepper

100ml olive oil

Blanch asparagus and broccoli in a pot of boiling salted water, this takes 1 min, remove straight away and either wash with cold water or put on a flat tray straight in to the fridge to keep the green In the vegetables.

Stage 3

Take all salad ingredients and place in a bowl, with chicken and cannellini beans,

pour half the dressing over the chicken, and gently stir through.

Arrange the salad on a platter or individual plates, add more dressing and toasted seeds, and fine chopped parsley to garnish.

I also like to do small spoons of avocado over the salad too before I serve it for extra  creamy texture and deliciousness.

• Interested in seeing our Nutritionist? We offer a free 20 minute Nutrition Consultation to see if we are the right fit for you.  Book here
• Or learn more about our group program 8 Weeks to Thrive here. 
• Visit Babajan Eatery in Carlton North for a delicious Brunch!