Chicken Salad with Pesto and Garden Vegetables – Gluten Free
Today, if you are thinking this is one of my well researched, thoroughly tested and executed recipes.
I must say, thank you.
Because it was really just some great leftover BBQ chicken, a few veggies from the crisper, and a couple of spoonfuls of pesto.
It was really fabulous.
If I can give you one tip, you will thank me for all summer its this:
Cook Extra.
Summer is so busy, this is just one way make meal times a bit easier.
Next time you grill up some strip steaks for dinner, add another to the grill for later.
From there you can pop that steak into a warm corn tortilla, add some bright green slices of ripe avocado, a few sprigs of cilantro and a final squeeze of lime.
Or warm it up with a bit of ginger, sesame oil and soy sauce, to add to an Asian spinach salad with a quick fry of sliced red onion, garlic, and some big wedges of tomato with a sprinkle of sesame seeds.
How about popping some baguette slathered with olive oil and garlic on your grill. Layer some arugula and goat cheese on top then add some very thinly sliced steak.
The possibilities are endless really.
I bet now you are thinking what will I suggest for the chicken, right?
Well, lets start with your version of my Chicken Salad with Pesto and Garden Vegetables.
I am hoping you will tell me all about it.
Ingredients
- 2 cooked boneless chicken breasts, cubed either cold or warmed in oven
- 2 cups sliced cherry or grape tomatoes
- 1 english cucumber, cubed
- 1 cup sugar snap peas, uncooked or blanched (I like them cooked a bit)
- 3 scallions, sliced
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley or basil, chopped
- 4 Tbs pesto
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Get out a large serving bowl add tomatoes and cucumber, sprinkle with salt and pepper.
If warming up chicken, heat oven to 350 degrees and add chicken wrapped loosely in foil and cook for 15 mins.
In the meanwhile bring a small sauce pan to boil, add sugar snap peas and salt. Cook 1-2 mins.
Drain and add to serving bowl.
Toss in cubed chicken, scallions parsley or basil and pesto.
Toss well and serve.
Notes
If you make chicken salad a lot you can vary the recipe by adding any variety of nuts or seeds like sunflower seeds or pine nuts, also sliced almonds work well. Also a crumble of feta or goat cheese over top and served with garlic bread, always a hit.
Annette