Many of my clients struggle to eat nutritious meals at lunchtime. Because they’re in the middle of a busy day, they’ll grab a protein bar or pack a slice or two of deli turkey and Swiss cheese between two slices of bread and call it lunch. After two hours, they’re hungry again.
Why? Maybe because their lunch didn’t contain enough energy (calories), protein, fiber, micronutrients, delicious flavors, textures, and colors, or all of the above.
Because I see so many people struggle with nutritious lunchtime options, I’ve made it my mission to develop super-quick-and-easy lunchtime dishes that provide plenty of energy, protein, fiber, micronutrients, and deliciousness.
I call them “protein salads” because they are designed to provide about 25 grams of protein per serving, but of course, they’re also packed with all the other good stuff listed above, that will not only energize and nourish your body but also provide a pleasurable break in the day to help you recharge your batteries before launching into the second (and often harder) part of the day.
Even though this salad is super quick to prepare, I’m not suggesting you do this in the middle of your busy day. Rather, make it ahead during the weekend or on a quiet weeknight, and store it in the fridge 9the flavors keep getting better).
In the morning, pack however much you plan to eat for lunch into a storage container, place it in a cool bag, and off you go. When I work away from home, I usually bring a handful of greens in a separate container and serve the chicken salad on top. Or, when I’m out of greens, I pack a dry wrap or slice of bread and eat that with my chicken salad. This also makes a great snack on a cracker at any time of day.
Honey-Mustard Chicken Protein Salad
Ingredients
- ¼ cup sliced almonds
- ⅓ cup mayonnaise I use Chosen Foods' avocado-oil mayo
- ⅓ cup Greek yogurt I use whole, plain yogurt, but you can use any plain, unflavored yogurt, incl. plant-based yogurt
- 2 tbsp wholegrain mustard
- 1 tbsp honey
- ½ tsp garlic powder not garlic salt
- ½ tsp paprika powder I use smoked paprika
- ½ tsp salt i err on the side of undersalting since some rotisserie chicken is very salty; feel free to add more if yours is not
- ½ tsp black pepper freshly ground
- 2 tsp apple cider vinegar
- 2 stalks celery halved lengthwise, then chopped into ¼-inch cubes
- 1 large shallot finely chopped
- ½ cup parsley chopped
- ⅓ cup dried cranberries I use reduced-sugar cranberries
- 12 oz cooked rotisserie chicken skinless, shredded (rotisserie chicken works great), and chopped into small pieces with a chef knife
Instructions
- In a small, dry skillet over medium heat, toast the almond slices (stirring constantly) until they turn light-golden and emit a toasty fragrance. Tip onto a plate to cool.
- Next, in a medium mixing bowl, combine mayonnaise, yogurt, honey, mustard, apple cider vinegar, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika; stir to combine.
- Add the chopped celery, shallot, cranberries, and parsley, and stir again until everything is well coated with the dressing.
- Fold the shredded, chopped chicken into the dressing and mix well to ensure all the meat is coated.
- Season to taste with salt, pepper, vinegar, or lemon juice. Scatter with the toasted almond slices (sorry -- I forgot to do so when I took the picture...).
- Can be eaten right away, but tastes even better after a few hours in the fridge. Store in a container with a tight-fitting lid. Keeps in the fridge for 3-4 days.