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Hearty Chicken Salad: Easy A-List Lunch
Dana Ketter

Hearty Chicken Salad

A quick and easy paleo lunch for just you, or the whole family.
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Prep Time 2 minutes
Cook Time 1 minute
BULK Pre-prep Time 15 minutes
Total Time 18 minutes
Servings: 1 person
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Calories: 560
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 3/4 cup Sweet Potato (0.5 lbs or 1 small potato)
  • 1 cup Cabbage Raw, chopped
  • ½ cup Raw Spinach
  • 2.5 oz Free Range Chicken Breast (size: 0.15 lbs or almost a deck of cards)
  • 2 tbsp Walnuts shelled, hand crushed
  • 5 Kalamata Olives
  • 2 Large Carrots washed/trimmed, whole
  • 1 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil (dressing)
  • 1 tbsp Bragg's Apple Cider Vinegar (dressing)
Side or as topping
  • 1 Small Orange

Equipment

  • knife, cutting board, steamer or pot with a steamer insert, grill or skillet, stove, measuring spoons/cups

Method
 

SEE my "Week in Zoom" or "Paleo Week in Zoom" and SAVE TIME! Prep in bulk.
  1. When Bulk Prepping, total time at lunch to prepare this is just 3 minutes!
Preparation Break-down
  1. Start with Sweet Potato: In a steamer or a pot with a steamer insert, add 1" of water. Wash, peel and slice the sweet potatoes into medallions or cube them (1" pieces). Steam on medium-high heat for 5-8 minutes or until just soft. If you prefer al-dente crunchier sweet potatoes, cook for less time.
  2. As Sweet Potato Cooks, cook your chicken: Cook chicken breast per your preferred method. For bulk prep for an individual, I recommend buying and cooking half a pound of chicken, then slicing off of it during the week for salads. Be sure to reheat it to a minimum of 165°F. We use a George Foreman grill to cook ours with turmeric and black pepper. *See below
  3. While these are cooking: Wash and slice about 1/3 of both the purple and green cabbages, save 1/2 cup of each for the salad, cover remainder in a bowl. Refrigerate for later use in a salad or side veggie.
  4. Wash and peel the carrots. Either continue to peel it into the salad, or use as a side veggie.
Building Your Salad: bulk pre-prepped method
  1. Reheat the cooked chicken so that minimal internal temperature is 165°F. (food safety)
  2. Layer bottom to top: cabbage, sweet potato, spinach (washed), chicken (2.5 oz, sliced), hand-crushed walnuts and olives. Drizzle with olive oil and Apple Cider Vinegar. Serve with carrots and orange slices (or as a part of the salad).

Notes

WHOLE RECIPE:
Total Calories: 580(v) or 560 kcal . Total Cost – $2.10(v) - $2.50  .  Grade – A(v) & B  .
*Monthly Cost – $432 (vegan version, no breaded mug) or $510(original salad, no breaded mug)
Programming Notes:
  • Turmeric and Black Pepper are a powerful combination to help decrease carcinogens in grilled meat. Here are a few pointers. 
  • YES! This recipe is Paleo, Lectin-free (- the orange), Wheat & Gluten Free, Lactose & Dairy Free. Remove the chicken and add more nuts or seeds and it's a vegan/vegetarian paleo salad!
  • Adding a side of the breaded mug increases Calories by 175kcal (v) and 220kcal (original) and cost by $0.30 (v) and $0.40 (regular):
    • Totals with The Breaded Mug: Vegan: 755 kcal and $2.40. Original: 780 kcal and $2.90 total.
    • Adding a side of the breaded mug makes this a high calorie meal. If you eat two meals a day plus a small 150 - 200 Calorie snack, this is an idea for you. Or, if you have a growing athlete who needs substantially more Calories per day, this is an affordable idea for them.
    • Adding The Breaded Mug means adding an A-grade item. Therefore, the grade won't diminish but will likely improve.
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*This refers to the monthly grocery bill if TWO PEOPLE ate cumulatively 4,000 Calories per day, and only ate this meal all month long. If you’re running calculations for one person, divide “monthly cost” in half.