The Countdown to Summer Begins
I was feeling brave Monday morning and stepped on the scale.
I don't know if you're anything like me, but I have to be in a stable state of mind before I confront the scale. I have to be in a place where I'm OK if I don't like the number I see. Sometimes life is messy enough already without knowing exactly how far away you are from having your favorite jeans fit. But for some reason that morning, I was feeling ready to face the music.
It wasn't pretty.
But it also wasn't crawl back into bed and hide from the day terrible.
It was annoying enough, however, for me to put some serious thought into how I could lighten up my meals this week. And to consider maybe taking a brief hiatus from my nightly adult beverage. And squeezing in some extra dog walks.
And that is what inspired me to throw together one of my favorite warmer weather lunches, lightened up chicken salad.
Guys I am new to mayo based "salads." Potato salad, my mother's specialty, only became appetizing to me last summer. Tuna fish is not in my regular rotation, egg salad only makes a once a year appearance, and chicken salad has never been high on my list. Until my teacher friend Ashley whipped up a batch of it and brought it along on one of our many wine-tasting adventures. Hers wasn't too mayonaisey and it also had the refreshing crunch of celery and red grapes. YUM.
Now if you're a Weight Watchers alumnae like myself, you tend to get a little nervous whenever anybody talks about a salad that is dressed in mayo. Mayo is notoriously terrible for you. Everybody knows this. My mom, bless her heart, uses a lighter mayo when she makes her potato salad, tuna fish, egg salad, etc. but the reduced fat stuff usually has higher sugar to make up for the lack of flavorful fat. So that's no good either.
So what's a chicken salad loving girl to do? GREEK YOGURT.
Listen. I am not one of those people who's like "Oh, I just have a cup of plain yogurt with almonds and chia and flax and no sweeteners, artificial or natural. It is so filling and yummy" Lies. Everybody is lying about yogurt.
But Greek yogurt does have a place in meal prep. Chicken salad is one of those places. If you season your chicken well and add in some delightful mix-ins, Greek yogurt can work.
My friend Ashley poaches her chicken in some broth on the stove. I've done that a few times, but the last few times I've roasted it in the oven. I pat my chicken breasts dry, drizzle a teeny bit of olive oil (or you can lightly coat with Pam) then sprinkle Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper over them. Roast in the oven for about half an hour or when they're no longer pink the middle. Depending on the size of your chicken breasts, they might take longer (or shorter). Don't be afraid to use bone-in chicken breasts, a whole roaster chicken, thighs, whatever. Chicken is chicken.
I used to shred my roasted chicken but it's altogether too time-consuming. Now I just cut it into small pieces. For some reason, it looks a little bit more substantial to me when it's big ol chunks of chicken and not shredded, unrecognizable meat.
To my roasted chicken, I add a little dried minced onion, some additional salt and pepper (I don't have exact measurements of the seasonings and spices I use because I just eyeball it. You can always add more, so when in doubt, do less), diced celery and reduced sugar Craisins. Sometimes I add grapes. But heavens I love Craisins. And they now make reduced sugar ones so you can feel a little less guilty when you eat them.
After all the bulky items are combined, I spoon in plain, fat-free, Greek yogurt. For three breasts, I used one 5.3 oz container of Chobani. I gave it a taste and felt it taste a little bleh, so I sprinkled a little more salt, pepper, and minced onion and then made the executive decision to add one heaping spoonful of low fat mayonnaise. At 15 calories a tablespoon, it won't do much to amp up the calorie count, but sometimes it adds just enough flavor.
I do all this mixing while the chicken is still warm. I like to think that the temperature helps everything kind of blend together nicely. But then I stick it in the fridge for a few hours. Oh goodness, this chicky salad is good. I like to toast up light rye bread and spoon this chicken salad on. I usually plop a little pile onto the plate next to the sandwich so I can eat more.
Making this recipe makes me feel like summer is right around the corner. IT IS RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER!
I think one of the reasons why I love this recipe so much is because it's tied to so many of my favorite memories. Whenever I make or eat chicken salad now, I have this moment where I think of my friend Ashley who taught me how yummy it could be. I hope that years from now when I'm tired of carbs and I whip up a batch of this, I remember the time she packed me a chicken salad sandwich to nibble at the beach.
Thinking of you, Ashley.
-Jill
I don't know if you're anything like me, but I have to be in a stable state of mind before I confront the scale. I have to be in a place where I'm OK if I don't like the number I see. Sometimes life is messy enough already without knowing exactly how far away you are from having your favorite jeans fit. But for some reason that morning, I was feeling ready to face the music.
It wasn't pretty.
But it also wasn't crawl back into bed and hide from the day terrible.
It was annoying enough, however, for me to put some serious thought into how I could lighten up my meals this week. And to consider maybe taking a brief hiatus from my nightly adult beverage. And squeezing in some extra dog walks.
And that is what inspired me to throw together one of my favorite warmer weather lunches, lightened up chicken salad.
 |
| Chicky salad on toasted light rye bread |
Now if you're a Weight Watchers alumnae like myself, you tend to get a little nervous whenever anybody talks about a salad that is dressed in mayo. Mayo is notoriously terrible for you. Everybody knows this. My mom, bless her heart, uses a lighter mayo when she makes her potato salad, tuna fish, egg salad, etc. but the reduced fat stuff usually has higher sugar to make up for the lack of flavorful fat. So that's no good either.
So what's a chicken salad loving girl to do? GREEK YOGURT.
Listen. I am not one of those people who's like "Oh, I just have a cup of plain yogurt with almonds and chia and flax and no sweeteners, artificial or natural. It is so filling and yummy" Lies. Everybody is lying about yogurt.
But Greek yogurt does have a place in meal prep. Chicken salad is one of those places. If you season your chicken well and add in some delightful mix-ins, Greek yogurt can work.
 |
| Season those bad boys |
 |
| Make sure juices run clear and there's no pink! |
My friend Ashley poaches her chicken in some broth on the stove. I've done that a few times, but the last few times I've roasted it in the oven. I pat my chicken breasts dry, drizzle a teeny bit of olive oil (or you can lightly coat with Pam) then sprinkle Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper over them. Roast in the oven for about half an hour or when they're no longer pink the middle. Depending on the size of your chicken breasts, they might take longer (or shorter). Don't be afraid to use bone-in chicken breasts, a whole roaster chicken, thighs, whatever. Chicken is chicken.
 |
| Cut up with a sharp knife |
 |
| Add a little onion! |
 |
| The ingredients are so simple |
 |
| Sneaking in those veggies |
After all the bulky items are combined, I spoon in plain, fat-free, Greek yogurt. For three breasts, I used one 5.3 oz container of Chobani. I gave it a taste and felt it taste a little bleh, so I sprinkled a little more salt, pepper, and minced onion and then made the executive decision to add one heaping spoonful of low fat mayonnaise. At 15 calories a tablespoon, it won't do much to amp up the calorie count, but sometimes it adds just enough flavor.
I do all this mixing while the chicken is still warm. I like to think that the temperature helps everything kind of blend together nicely. But then I stick it in the fridge for a few hours. Oh goodness, this chicky salad is good. I like to toast up light rye bread and spoon this chicken salad on. I usually plop a little pile onto the plate next to the sandwich so I can eat more.
I think one of the reasons why I love this recipe so much is because it's tied to so many of my favorite memories. Whenever I make or eat chicken salad now, I have this moment where I think of my friend Ashley who taught me how yummy it could be. I hope that years from now when I'm tired of carbs and I whip up a batch of this, I remember the time she packed me a chicken salad sandwich to nibble at the beach.
Thinking of you, Ashley.
-Jill
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