Chopped Chicken Couscous Salad
Crunchy veggies, tender chicken (or turkey), and a creamy basil dressing make this chopped salad delicious in any season — fresh or fall-inspired!
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients
DRESSING:
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil
- 1 tablespoon prepared pesto sauce
- 1 tablespoon water
- 2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon honey
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
SALAD:
- 4 cups finely chopped romaine lettuce
- 2 cups finely chopped roasted chicken
- 2 cups corn kernels (see tips below)
- 2 cups finely chopped red cabbage
- 1 cup dry Israeli couscous, cooked according to package instructions (then cooled)
- 1 medium red bell pepper, finely chopped
- ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- ½ cup dried currants
- ½ cup finely chopped pecans
Instructions
PREPARE THE DRESSING:
- In a small bowl, whisk together the dressing ingredients. If the dressing seems too thick, whisk in more water 1 teaspoon at a time, until you get a consistency that you're happy with. It should be creamy and thick but pourable.
ASSEMBLE THE SALAD:
- In a large bowl, toss together all of the salad ingredients. Add the dressing and toss to coat. Divide the salad among 4 bowls and serve.
Notes
TIPS:
- Fresh corn is fabulous in this salad. Just cut it right off the cob and add raw corn kernels into the salad. Two good-sized cobs should be enough to make 2 cups of corn kernels.
- Turn this into a Thanksgiving salad by using chopped turkey in place of the chicken, wild rice in place of the couscous and dried cranberries in place of the currants.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 784kcal | Carbohydrates: 74g | Protein: 33g | Fat: 42g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 17g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 75mg | Sodium: 598mg | Potassium: 966mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 22g | Vitamin A: 6113IU | Vitamin C: 73mg | Calcium: 209mg | Iron: 4mg