waldorf chicken salad

Waldorf Chicken Salad

INGREDIENTS
2 to 2 1/2 cups diced or shredded chicken breast (I used the breasts of one rotisserie chicken)
1 cup celery, sliced (about 1 1/2 stalks and leaves)
1 cup apple, diced
2-3 scallions, sliced (about 1/4 cup)
3/4 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 lemon, juiced
salt and pepper

DIRECTIONS
1. In a medium mixing bowl, stir together chicken, celery, apple, scallions, and walnuts. 
2. Add mayonnaise and lemon juice and stir until well combined. Salt and pepper to taste.
3. Eat alone, add on top of a bed of lettuce, or sandwiched between two slices of bread. Refrigerate any leftovers.

Mayo-Free Chicken Salad

Well, hello! I am back from my hiatus. Maybe. Kind of. I'll get back to you on this. My last post was in June, which is absolutely horrifying. I'm sorry, I suck. My goal is to try to update as much as I can but, you know, life happens-- some bad but mostly a lot of good stuff within the past few months.

So, you should know that I slipped off Paleo (a lot) lately. I went to NYC for a week and a half in July and it was pretty much downhill from there. BUT, I'm definitely back on my grind and ready to share some new creations. I'm attempting a Whole60-- 2 months of super strict Paleo. My first Whole30 was a breeze, but I also had a lot more time then. Being a full-time student with 2 jobs, I know that this will be undoubtedly more challenging. Good thing I'm up for it and ready to kick butt.

Even though it's super late and I have an early day tomorrow, I need to get this recipe posted-- or else it's very likely it may never get done. And right about now, I'm thankful for that spontaneous 4-hour face-plant into my pillow earlier this evening.

Mayo-Free Chicken Salad
Yields 2-3 servings

INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 cups chicken breast, roughly diced (do yourself a favor and buy a big, fat, whole rotisserie chicken and dissect the hell out of it)
2 1/2 Tbsp red onion, finely chopped
1 avocado, diced (at least 1/2 cup)
2 tsp fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
2 tsp lime juice, freshly squeezed (about 1/2 a lime)
1/4 tsp salt*
1/4 tsp ground black pepper*

*The rotisserie chicken I bought was already gushing with seasoned juices. The s+p I added was mostly to balance the avocado, lime, and onion. If the chicken you use is bland, you can add more seasonings accordingly based on your taste preference.

DIRECTIONS
1. Dump all ingredients into a medium mixing bowl. 
2. Gently toss everything together until all ingredients are incorporated well. I use a fork to toss so I can also mash a few of the avocado pieces. I prefer to keep most chicken and avocado pieces pretty chunky. I feel like it's better when you can still identify what you're eating.
3. Eat right away or store in an airtight container. 

I already prepared some of the chicken salad on top of a bed of broccoli slaw in a container for my lunch tomorrow. I may have also squeezed a little more lime juice on top of the whole shabang with a sprinkling of more cilantro. The extra lime juice will hopefully prevent the avocados from browning too much. And the cilantro just looked pretty. I eat with my eyes, obviously.

I can't wait for this chicken salad..salad. The more greens, the better. I've dolloped this chicken salad on spinach, romaine, arugula, kale.. that whole family (and extended family) of leafy greens. Though, I also enjoy the roughage of the broccoli slaw (very similar to cabbage). It adds a crunchier texture component and it also holds up well when you're putting it together the night before. FYI, not a fan of soggy greens.

I'll probably still be baking up some fat, fat, very fat treats (which I will of course try to share, as well). Let's face it, I can't stop. However, if you've ever considered eating Paleo, I encourage you to join me! You will be eating great, looking great, and feeling great. And isn't that what we all want?! Sleep on it.. as I will be resuming face-plant into pillow.

strawberry balsamic salad with chicken

It's getting warmer, which means I certainly feel like eating lighter. Spring/summertime is my favorite because there's plenty of fresh produce available, and I seriously can't get enough. I decided to sweeten up my salad with strawberries, and then added leftover barbequed chicken thighs to balance it all out. The smokey, grilled flavor from the chicken was a bonus. Have I inspired you to have dinner outside? Fire up the grill and toss this simple spring salad together.

Strawberry Balsamic Salad with Chicken
Serves 2

INGREDIENTS
3 cup chopped romaine lettuce
3 Tbsp strawberry balsamic dressing (see recipe below)
1 cup cooked chicken pieces, chopped (I had leftover BBQ'ed chicken thighs.)
3/4 cup sliced fresh strawberries

DIRECTIONS
1. Toss romaine with strawberry balsamic dressing. Add 3/4 cup of the chicken pieces and 1/2 cup of the strawberry slices and toss again.
2. Top with the remaining chicken and strawberries.
3. To brighten it up, you can also finish your salad off with fresh lemon zest.

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Strawberry Balsamic Dressing

INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup mashed fresh strawberries
1/8 cup balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp + 1 tsp honey
pinch of salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS
1. Add mashed strawberries balsamic vinegar and honey to saucepan and heat on medium high until it starts rapidly bubbling. Stir well to incorporate everything and also frequently to keep from sticking to the sides. 
2. Once it starts rapidly bubbling, allow to cook for about 2 minutes while stirring. Then, turn the heat way down to low/medium-low heat. Stir the mixture around occasionally as it continues to cook. It's ready when the balsamic vinegar has reduced-- the mixture has thickened and the volume looks like it has halved.
3. Add salt and pepper to taste. Allow mixture to cool for a few minutes before using. This can be used a spread, because it is somewhat jam-like. Or you can also use this as a dressing. Take your pick.

pesto chicken stuffed portobello mushrooms

Confession. I never get tired of pesto. I put it on my breakfast eggs (or toast if I'm feeling extra naughty). I throw it on lettuce and call it a salad. And, because it's herb-based, it tastes good with fish, red meat, and lean meats alike.

More often than I'd like to admit, I crave homemade fettuccine with pesto and chicken. It's one of the most satisfying cheat meals ever.. until I start feeling like crap from scarfing down all that gluten. Really, I do. It's a love/hate relationship.

Luckily, I love mushrooms. For a vegetable, mushrooms are so meaty and hearty. So, instead of making pasta with pesto, chicken, and mushrooms. I decided to cut out the middle man-- the pasta-- to save myself from gluten misery.

Pesto Chicken Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms
yields 6-8 stuffed mushrooms

INGREDIENTS
6-8 Portobello stuffing mushrooms (mine were on the smaller side, so about 8)
1 tsp olive oil + extra for brushing
1/2 c. onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup chicken breast, largely diced (I use a skinless breast of a whole-roasted chicken)
1/2 c. pesto (store-bought or homemade-- it's always best to use your favorite)
5-6 black olives, roughly chopped

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Prepare mushrooms. Wipe them clean with a damp cloth. Mushrooms drink in water very easily, so it's best not to wash them directly under water. You want them as dry as possible. Then, with a spoon or sharp knife, remove the stem and gills from each mushroom cap. Lightly brush each Portobello with olive oil and place onto a baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes and remove from oven.
2. While mushrooms are baking, prepare the pesto chicken filling. In a small skillet, heat olive oil on medium heat. Add onions, stirring occasionally. Once onions are softened, stir in garlic. Allow the garlic to cook a bit-- about 2 or 3 more minutes. Finally add chicken, pesto, and salt and pepper to taste. 
3 Stuff the Portobellos. Use a spoon to fill hollowed mushroom cap with pesto chicken. Add chopped olives on top. Pop the stuffed Portobellos back into the oven for about 2 more minutes. Then they are ready to eat!

garlic chicken with cauliflower rice

Being Asian, I grew up eating almost everything over rice. Unfortunately, white rice is full of starch and there is little nutritional value. Though brown rice is a great alternative, I have been loving cauliflower rice for an even healthier substitute. It looks just like rice. And the best part-- I never have to feel guilty.

How to Make Cauliflower Rice in 3 Steps:
1. Place a head of cauliflower (washed) into a food processor and pulse until desired rice-like consistency.
2. Transfer the cauliflower rice into a sautepan or skillet on the stove top. 
3. Cook on medium heat, carefully stirring occasionally until cooked. (I like to use a fork to fluff it up like rice.) Once it is cooked (which happens quickly), it's ready to eat! Season to taste-- I usually just add a little s+p at the very end.

So, now what to eat with cauliflower rice?  The answer is anything. But why not keep it Paleo with my Garlic Chicken Recipe..

Garlic Chicken

INGREDIENTS
2 lbs. uncooked chicken breast or thighs (I used thighs because they're juicier!)
15 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp whole grain dijon mustard
1 tsp paprika
1 1/2 tsp fresh parsley, roughly chopped + more for sprinkling

DIRECTIONS
1. Place all ingredients into a medium to large bowl. Mix everything together well. Cover with plastic wrap and marinate for at least 30 minutes in the refrigerator.
2. At this point, you can cook your chicken however you like. I cooked it on the stovetop-- heat skillet on medium to medium high heat with a drizzle of EVOO. Cook a few minutes on each side so both sides are browned and chicken is cooked all the way through.
3. Place cooked chicken on a serving plate. Once all the chicken is cooked, pour the extra pan juices over all the chicken. Top with extra fresh parsley.

The final result is juicy, moist chicken studded with little crispy bits of garlic. The crispiness you get from some of the garlic is the best part. So, really, don't forget to pour the extra pan juices with lingering garlic over the cooked chicken!

When eating Paleo, constantly prepping for meals can get exhausting. Whenever I make chicken, I tend to make a lot of it because it is so versatile. Use leftovers to top salads, throw it in your breakfast egg scramble, etc etc.. you get the point. I never get tired of it.

If you'd rather not cook so much chicken at once, marinate the whole batch as instructed. Then, divide the batch. Seal what you don't want to cook immediately in a ziplock or vacuum sealed bag, freeze, and then defrost when you're ready to make this again. That works, too.