Ideas for salads with grilled meats/seafood.

[lindrusso]

Well, this started out as a grilled chicken salad idea, but I realized that it would be nice to have ideas for steak and shrimp too.

I have decided that now that it's summer and we tend to grill quite a bit, grilled salads would be a quick and easy meal and it's something I'd like to do on a regular basis - 2x a month or more. It's so easy - salads go together quickly, it's quick and easy to grill the chicken/steak/seafood and if you do it right, it can be a meal in one.

Anyway, I thought it might be fun to start a thread and gather ideas. The boys have really liked the salads we've done so far.

So far, this is what we have done:

Chicken Caesar Salad (seasoning the chicken with a Cajun rub) - We did this one with spinach to make it a bit more nutritious.

Chicken Fiesta Salad - We just made this one tonight. It had black beans, corn (well, it was supposed to have corn, but I forgot it), tomatoes, shredded cheese, black olives, tortilla chips and chopped avocado. I made a dressing using salsa and ranch dressing and sprinkled in a bit of cayenne and chipotle powder. The chicken was seasoned with Penzey's Fajita seasoning.

Chicken and grilled veggies - this is a modification of a recipe from CL that has been posted here before. I can post it if anyone is interested.

Other ideas I would like to try:

A fruit and chicken salad with a poppyseed dressing. Grilled pineapple, strawberries and blueberries. I've had this, or someting similar, at a restaurant and it was yummy.

Any other ideas? I know I thought of a few others the other day, but I can't remember them now!

Alysha :)

[greek salad]

Yum... The salads sound great. I also eat a lot of salads, especially in the summer. Would you mind posting the recipe for the Fiesta salad.

Thanks!!

[misskitty100]

My husband makes a great Steak Salad. He grills the steak with lemon-pepper seasoning and cuts it into strips. He serves it over salad greens dressed with Ceasar & parmesan cheese. It is good....:D

[jphilg]

We eat a lot of entree salads. I like to grill the meat the night before (while I grill that night's dinner) so that salad nights don't require firing up the grill again...although that means cold proteins, but that is my preference anyway.

Here are some of my favorites:

Thai Beef Salad: Greens, fresh herbs (copious quantities of cilantro, basil, mint), red bell pepper strips, topped with sliced grilled sirloin steak and a thai dressing (lime juice, fish sauce, brown sugar/palm sugar, and minced fresh chiles). All-time favorite at our house.

Steakhouse Salad: Spinach, red onion, tomatoes, sliced grilled sirloin, blue cheese vinaigrette.

Jerk Chicken salad: Grilled jerk chicken (I use Jen Holcomb's jerk marinade. I miss Jen.) sliced and served over greens with chopped scallion, diced mango, sometimes some black beans, red bell peppers, and a citrus vinaigrette (I like a mix of orange and lime juices, with garlic, olive oil, and s&p)

Grilled salmon over napa slaw....I use the same thai dressing above, with shredded napa cabbage, carrots, red bells, scallions, and some chopped peanuts as garnish. Shrimp would work well, too. This is an exception to the cold protein rule...I grill fish the night we are eating it. Cold salmon is not my cup o' tea.

Bruschetta Chicken Salad (I know, I know, bruschetta is the toast, not the tomato topping, but people always know what I am talking about when I call this bruschetta salad): Grilled lemon-marinated chicken, mixed greens, chopped tomatoes with garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper that have sat for a while to let the flavors marry...and then I tend to garnish with some small goat cheese toasts.

Definitely a favorite way to eat in the summer at our house, too!

[KirstenL]

Ooh! Alysha, I have one for you! Grilled Jamaican Pork Tenderloin Salad. We just tried this the other night, and it was fantastic. I didn't have papaya handy so I used mango to go with the pineapple. This is really easy and comes together quickly, and doesn't require time to marinate.


Grilled Jamaican Pork Tenderloin Salad

Butterflying the pork helps it cook faster. If you can't find papaya, use an extra cup of chopped pineapple.
DRESSING:
2 tablespoons fresh or 2 teaspoons dried thyme leaves
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
2 teaspoons brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 garlic clove, minced

SALAD:
1 (1-pound) pork tenderloin
Cooking spray
4 cups salad greens
2 cups chopped peeled fresh pineapple
1 cup chopped papaya

Prepare grill.
To prepare dressing, combine first 11 ingredients in a food processor; process until smooth.
To prepare pork, slice pork lengthwise, cutting to, but not through, other side. Open halves, laying pork flat. Rub 2 tablespoons dressing on pork; reserve remaining dressing. Place pork on grill rack coated with cooking spray; cook 10 minutes on each side or until a meat thermometer registers 155°. Let stand 5 minutes. Cut pork into 1/4-inch-thick slices; toss with reserved dressing.
Place 1 cup greens on each of 4 plates; top with 3 ounces pork, 1/2 cup pineapple, and 1/4 cup papaya.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 cup greens, 3 ounces pork, 1/2 cup pineapple, and 1/4 cup papaya)

NUTRITION PER SERVING: CALORIES 263(30% from fat); FAT 8.7g (sat 2.3g,mono 4.8g,poly 0.9g); PROTEIN 28.4g; CHOLESTEROL 69mg; CALCIUM 78mg; SODIUM 371mg; FIBER 3.2g; IRON 2.7mg; CARBOHYDRATE 18.3g

Abby Dinces
Cooking Light, JULY 2003

[lindrusso]

Originally posted by greek salad
Yum... The salads sound great. I also eat a lot of salads, especially in the summer. Would you mind posting the recipe for the Fiesta salad.

Thanks!!

Actually, what I posted above pretty much IS the recipe. ;) It was just a throw it together as you go recipe.

The only thing I left out was that I put the ranch dressing and the salsa through the food processor to get a smoother dressing. I think I did about 1 part ranch dressing to 2 parts salsa. I didn't measure the seasonings, just added them to taste.

Thanks for the other ideas so far. This is going to be a tasty thread! :)

Alysha

[Schmee]

We love entree salads and look forward to eating them a lot this summer. This one is from Giada,not sure if I got it on this BB or from FoodTV, plan to make it soon.

Steak Salad
1/2 head romaine lettuce, cut into bite-size pieces
1 large head Belgian endive, thinly sliced crosswise (about 1 1/2 cups)
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced into rings
3 cups fresh baby arugula
12 cherry tomatoes, halved
4 ounces Gorgonzola, coarsely crumbled
Red Wine Vinaigrette, recipe follows
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 pound steak (such as New York, rib-eye or filet mignon), pan-fried or grilled and chilled
In a large bowl, combine the romaine lettuce, Belgian endive, red onion, baby arugula and cherry tomatoes, and half of the cheese. Toss the salad with enough vinaigrette to coat. Season the salad with salt and pepper, to taste. Arrange the salad on a platter.
Cut the steaks crosswise into thin slices. Arrange the steak slices atop the salad and sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Drizzle more vinaigrette over the steak slices and serve.
Red Wine Vinaigrette:
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
3 tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons honey
2 teaspoons salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 cup olive oil
Mix the vinegar, lemon juice, honey, salt, and pepper in a blender. With the machine running, gradually blend in the oil. Yield: 1 2/3 cups
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Everyday Italian

[KirstenL]

Schmee reminded me, there is another easy Giada recipe for steak salad that's also really nice--if you like arugula. If not, substitute some other green leaf/lettuce. And I have a couple of CL recipes for chicken salads we eat regularly as well, the Buffalo Chicken Salad with Blue Cheese Buttermilk Dressing, and Greek Salad with Grilled Chicken.

Seared Rib-Eye Steak with Arugula and Roasted Pepper Salad

Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis
Show: Everyday Italian
Episode: Weeknight Dinner, Episode EI1A09

Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Yield: 4 servings

6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for brushing
2 (1-inch-thick) rib-eye steaks (about 1 pound each)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 cups arugula, washed and spun dry
1 1/2 cups roasted peppers, rinsed and patted dry
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
Small block Parmesan (about 8 ounces)

In a large sauté pan, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil. Season steaks with salt and pepper. When pan starts to smoke, carefully add steaks. Allow the steaks to cook for about 3 to 4 minutes on 1 side, without moving or piercing the meat. This will help create a good, crusty sear. When steaks are brown, flip and sear the other side for 3 to 4 minutes. Remove meat to a large plate and allow to rest for 10 minutes.
Decoratively line a large platter with arugula. Tear the roasted peppers into large pieces and scatter over the arugula. In a small bowl, whisk in the remaining olive oil, balsamic vinegar and any meat juices that may have collected on the plate from the steaks. Season with salt and pepper.
Slice the steaks across the grain and on a bias into 1 1/2-inch thick pieces. Lay the slices on top of the salad and drizzle with dressing. Using a vegetable peeler, shave about Parmesan over the dish.


Buffalo Chicken Salad with Blue Cheese-Buttermilk Dressing

The popular flavors of Buffalo wings and blue cheese dip team up in this salad. The Blue Cheese-Buttermilk Dressing recipe is listed separately.

INGREDIENTS
1 tablespoon paprika
1½ tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons hot sauce
6 (4-ounce) skinned, boned chicken breast halves
1 large carrot
1 celery stalk
3 cups cubed red potato
Cooking spray
6 cups shredded romaine lettuce
2 cups cherry tomato halves
Blue Cheese-Buttermilk Dressing

INSTRUCTIONS
Combine the first 3 ingredients in a large dish. Add chicken, tossing to coat. Cover and marinate in refrigerator 30 minutes to 1 hour.
Cut carrot and celery lengthwise into 12 thin strips using a vegetable peeler. Place strips in a bowl of ice water. Let stand 30 minutes.
Place potato in a saucepan; cover with water. Bring to a boil; cook 15 minutes or until tender. Drain; cool.
Prepare grill. Remove chicken from dish; discard marinade. Place chicken on grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 5 minutes on each side or until chicken is done. Cut chicken diagonally across grain into thin slices. Set aside.
Arrange lettuce on a large platter. Top with potato, carrot and celery strips, chicken, and tomato halves. Serve with Blue Cheese-Buttermilk Dressing.

Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 1 cup lettuce, 1 chicken breast half, and 1/4 cup dressing)

NUTRITION PER SERVING: calories: 317 carbohydrates: 26.6 g cholesterol: 80 mg fat: 8.3 g sodium: 473 mg protein: 33.6 g calcium: 172 mg iron: 2.7 mg fiber: 4.1 g
Cooking Light, JULY 1997

Blue Cheese-Buttermilk Dressing

1/2 cup low-fat buttermilk
1/2 cup plain fat-free yogurt
3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground pepper
1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions
1/2 cup (2 ounces) crumbled blue cheese

Combine first 6 ingredients in a bowl; stir with a whisk until blended. Stir in onions and cheese.

Yield: 1 1/2 cups (serving size: 1/4 cup)

NUTRITION PER SERVING: CALORIES 61 (46% from fat); FAT 3.1g (sat 2g, mono 0.8g, poly 0.1g); PROTEIN 4g; CARB 4.1g; FIBER 0.2g; CHOL 7mg; IRON 0.2mg; SODIUM 354mg; CALC 120mg;

Cooking Light, JULY 1997



Greek Salad with Grilled Chicken

INGREDIENTS
1/4 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 garlic clove, minced
4 (4-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
Cooking spray
8 cups torn romaine lettuce
1 cup sliced cucumber (about 1 small)
8 pitted kalamata olives, halved
4 plum tomatoes, quartered lengthwise
2 (1/4-inch-thick) slices red onion, separated into rings
1/4 cup (1 ounce) crumbled feta cheese

INSTRUCTIONS
Prepare grill or broiler.
Combine the first 8 ingredients in a small bowl. Brush the chicken with 2 tablespoons dressing; set remaining dressing aside.
Place chicken on grill rack or broiler pan coated with cooking spray; cook for 5 minutes on each side or until chicken is done. Cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices.
Combine the romaine lettuce and the next 4 ingredients (romaine lettuce through red onion slices) in a large bowl, and toss with the remaining salad dressing. Divide the salad evenly among 4 plates; top each serving with sliced chicken, and sprinkle with feta cheese.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 2 cups salad, 3 ounces chicken, and 1 tablespoon feta cheese)

NUTRITION PER SERVING: calories: 231 carbohydrates: 10.3 g cholesterol: 72 mg fat: 7.7 g sodium: 613 mg protein: 30.3 g calcium: 110 mg iron: 2.9 mg fiber: 3.4 g
Cooking Light, AUGUST 2001

[Love to Run]

We love the Fandango Salad with Chicken at Panera Restaurant and I frequently make a similar salad at home.

Lettuce of your choice-I usually use romaine
Grilled chicken strips
Mandarin oranges
Blue cheese crumbles
Toasted chopped pecans
Raspberry dressing

Carole

[Wendy w]

Mmmm! Great ideas. I have tried the Buffalo chicken before and it is great.

I made up one where I take chicken breasts, marinate in TJ's Caesar dressing, throw on the grill, chop and then put over romaine, add chopped avocado and grape tomatoes. Top with Caesar dressing. Very simple and tasty.

[manetta]

Originally posted by KirstenL
Ooh! Alysha, I have one for you! Grilled Jamaican Pork Tenderloin Salad. We just tried this the other night, and it was fantastic. I didn't have papaya handy so I used mango to go with the pineapple. This is really easy and comes together quickly, and doesn't require time to marinate.




Thanks for posting this, Kirsten! (Funny. My name is Kirsten, too.) I took out three thick, boneless pork chops for dinner tonight and was wondering what to do with them. Looks like this is on the menu tonight since I have all the ingredients on hand.

Our favorite entree salad is one we have every Friday night with lots of wine! Mixed greens of your choice tossed with blue cheese (gorgonzola is really good!), dried cranberries, toasted pecans and a really garlicky homemade balsamic vinaigrette. We top this with sliced, grilled chicken breast. So simple and good.

[Chocolate Rose]

We also like the recipe that Kirsten posted. YUM!
Here's a couple more recipes that we like. The first two don't call specifically for grilling the meat but I think that grilling it would make these awesome.


* Exported from MasterCook *

Margarita Shrimp Salad

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 4 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Salads & Dressings

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1 pound medium shrimp (about 30 per pound) -- peeled and deveined
1/4 cup tequila
2 teaspoons freshly grated orange zest
1 teaspoon freshly grated lime zest
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup thinly slivered red onion
1/2 cup Creamy Lime-Chile Dressing (see recipe)
4 cups washed romaine lettuce -- dried, and torn
2 medium endives -- cored and torn into pieces (2 cups)
1 orange -- peeled and cut into segments
2 ripe Hass avocados -- peeled, pitted and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon olive oil
lime wedges

Toss shrimp, tequila, orange zest, lime zest and salt in a medium bowl. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Place onion in a small bowl, cover with cold water and some ice; let stand for 10 minutes, or until ready to use.

Meanwhile, make Creamy Lime-Chile Dressing.

Toss romaine, endive, orange segments and onion in a large bowl. Add dressing and toss to coat. Divide among 4 plates. Toss avocado with lime juice and divide among the servings.

Drain the shrimp, reserving the marinade. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp and saute until pink and firm, 2 to 3 minutes. Divide among the salads. Add the reserved marinade to the skillet and bring to a boil, stirring; spoon over shrimp. Serve with lime wedges for squeezing.

about 2 cups each:

Source:
"Eating Well Spring 2003"
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

* Exported from MasterCook *

Creamy Lime-Chile Dressing for Margarita Shrimp Salad

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 0 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Salads & Dressings

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
6 tablespoons reduced-fat sour cream
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 teaspoons minced seeded jalapeno or serrano pepper
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt

Whisk all ingredients in a small bowl. Makes about 1/2 cup.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -


* Exported from MasterCook *

Malay Chicken Salad With Curried Ginger Dressing ~ 12 Pts.

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 4 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Salads & Dressings

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1 cup rice -- uncooked
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 pound chicken breast -- cut into bite-size pieces
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
4 cups boston lettuce -- torn
1 1/2 cup pineapple -- chunks
1 1/2 cup papaya -- or mango, cubed
1 cup red grapes -- halved
1/2 cup fresh cilantro -- chopped
CURRIED GINGER DRESSING:
1/4 cup fat-free mayonnaise
1/4 cup reduced-fat peanut butter
1/4 cup orange juice, frozen concentrate -- undiluted, thawed
1/4 cup honey
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon curry powder

Cook rice according to package directions, and cool. Combine flour, cumin, coriander, and chicken in a large zip-top plastic bag; seal and shake to coat. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken to skillet, and saute 8 minutes or until done. Set chicken aside. Divide lettuce, rice, pineapple, papaya, grape halves, and cooked chicken evenly among 4 serving plates. Top each serving with Curried Ginger Dressing, and sprinkle with cilantro. Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 serving salad and 1/4 cup dressing).

Curried Ginger Dressing:
Combine all ingredients in a small bowl. Yield: 1 cup (serving size: 1/4 cup).

Source:
"Cooking Light August 1997"
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* Exported from MasterCook *

Grilled Chicken Salad with Tequila-Lime Mayo

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 6 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Salads & Dressings

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup tequila
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 1/2 pounds skinned, boned chicken breast
Cooking Spray
3/4 cup fat-free mayonnaise
2 tablespoons pine nuts -- toasted and chopped
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons tequila
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
6 cups torn iceberg lettuce
2 medium tomatoes -- each cut into 6 wedges

Combine first 5 ingredients in a large zip-loc bag. Seal bag; marinate in refrigerator for 30 minutes; turning bag occasionally.

Prepare grill. Remove chicken from bag; discard marinade. Place chicken on grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 5 minutes on each side or until done. Cut chicken into 1/2-inch pieces.

Combine mayonnaise and next 6 ingredients in a bowl; stir in chicken. Place 1 cup lettuce on each of 6 plates; top each with 2/3 cup chicken mixture and 2 tomato wedges. Yield: 6 servings.

Source:
"Cooking Light June 1997"
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

[rosie_one]

Wow, this is a great thread! I'm definitely going to try some of these out.

Last night I did simple roasted chicken breasts on the grill, shredded them and made curried chicken salad. To the shredded chicken (2 large breasts) add:

- Mayo to taste (some people like it creamier than others, I used about 4T)
- 1/2 cup sliced red grapes
- 1/4 cup golden raisins
- 1/4 cup slivered almonds or pine nuts
- 1/4 cup green or red onions, chopped
- curry powder to taste (I used about 2 T)
- few drops tabasco sauce
- salt to taste

I'll serve this over baby spinach and it looks really pretty. I like the char flavor in the chicken with the curry.

I'm sorry, I don't have a source for this recipe. I had something similar at a bridal shower 10 years ago and just kind of copied it.

[stacy7272]

This is my favorite CL recipe - it is awesome! It doesn't specifically call for grilled chicken, but there really is no reason you can't grill it.

Chicken Salad with Nectarines in Mint Vinaigrette
From Cooking Light


The mint adds a refreshing note to the dressing, which will also work well in a fresh fruit salad. Use any curly lettuce leaves in place of red leaf.

Dressing:
1 cup loosely packed fresh mint leaves
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Salad:
2 cups chopped cooked chicken breast
1 cup chopped seeded cucumber
1/3 cup chopped pecans, toasted
2 tablespoons minced red onion
3 nectarines, chopped, peeled, and pitted
5 red leaf lettuce leaves

To prepare dressing, place mint and sugar in a food processor; process until finely chopped, scraping sides of bowl. Add vinegar, juice, salt, and pepper, and process 30 seconds to combine.
To prepare salad, combine chicken, cucumber, pecans, onion, and nectarines in a medium bowl. Drizzle dressing over salad; toss well to coat. Place 1 lettuce leaf on each of 5 plates; top each serving with 3/4 cup salad.

Note: In a pinch, substitute fresh melon for the nectarines. Look for chopped peeled melon in the produce section at the grocery.

Yield: 5 servings (serving size: 1 lettuce leaf and 3/4 cup salad)

NUTRITION PER SERVING
CALORIES 241(28% from fat); FAT 7.4g (sat 1g,mono 3.6g,poly 2.1g); PROTEIN 16.7g; CHOLESTEROL 39mg; CALCIUM 71mg; SODIUM 163mg; FIBER 3.6g; IRON 3.4mg; CARBOHYDRATE 29g

Barbara Lauterbach
Cooking Light, MAY 2004


This has a long ingredient but it is worth it! Very yummy. Again, no reason you can't grill the chicken for this one.

Southwestern Salad Bar
From Cooking Light


We had fun putting together our own salads - this lineup has something for everyone.

1 tablespoon fajita seasoning
2 cups fresh corn kernels (about 4 ears)
5 teaspoons fresh lime juice, divided
2 teaspoons minced fresh cilantro
2/3 cup chopped red onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 (15-ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (7-ounce) bottle roasted red bell peppers, drained and chopped
1/2 cup diced peeled avocado
3/4 cup light ranch dressing
1 1/2 teaspoons minced canned chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
12 cups packaged chopped romaine lettuce
3 cups chopped skinless, boneless rotisserie chicken
1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) preshredded reduced-fat Mexican blend or cheddar cheese
1 1/2 cups unsalted baked tortilla chips, crumbled (about 2 1/2 ounces)
1 cup bottled sliced peeled mango, chopped
1 cup sliced green onions
1/2 cup thinly sliced radishes

Cook the seasoning in a large saucepan over medium heat 2 minutes or until toasted, stirring frequently. Combine fajita seasoning, corn, 1 tablespoon juice, and cilantro in a medium serving bowl.
Combine onion, garlic, beans, and bell pepper in a medium serving bowl. Combine avocado and 2 teaspoons juice in a small serving bowl, tossing gently to coat. Combine dressing and chipotle in a small serving bowl.

Place lettuce in a large serving bowl. Place chicken in a medium serving bowl. Place cheese, chips, mango, green onions, and radishes in individual serving bowls. Arrange the bowls, buffet-style, beginning with lettuce and ending with dressing. For each serving: 1 1/2 cups lettuce, 3/4 cup bean mixture, 1/4 cup corn mixture, about 1/3 cup chicken, 3 tablespoons chips, 3 tablespoons cheese, 2 tablespoons mango, 2 tablespoons onions, 1 tablespoon radishes, 1 tablespoon avocado, and 1 1/2 tablespoons dressing.

Yield: 8 servings

NUTRITION PER SERVING
CALORIES 252(28% from fat); FAT 7.9g (sat 3.8g,mono 2.9g,poly 0.6g); PROTEIN 4.6g; CHOLESTEROL 118mg; CALCIUM 94mg; SODIUM 122mg; FIBER 0.7g; IRON 1mg; CARBOHYDRATE 40.9g

Carla Fitzgerald Williams
Cooking Light, JUNE 2004

[tperes]

Last night I made a salad to take to a cookout that if you had shrimp or chicken, would be so tasty as a main dish (note -- I am a vegetarian, so i might add shrimp, but not the chicken!).


Basically I used these ingredients:

spinach (removed stems, tore into bite-sized pieces)
bibb lettuce (tore into bite-sized pieces)
1 1/2 cups thawed frozen corn (could use fresh when in season)
1 can rinsed black beans seasoned w/ cumin, salt, pepper, garlic powder (amts. to taste)
1 green bell pepper large dice
1/2 large red bell pepper large dice
1 sweet hot pepper, small dice
1 red tomato, large dice
1 yellow/orange tomato, large dice
1 baby sweet onion, small dice
1 baby red onion, small dice

I served it with
Creamy Cilantro Dressing (posted by Sheila in MD)

2 cups lightly packed fresh cilantro leaves
1 cup fat free or low fat sour cream
1/2 cup low fat mayonaise
2 Tbls. fresh lime juice
1/4 teas. minced garlic
1/4 tsp. grated lime peel

Combine in food processor until smooth.

Sheila's Notes: I do not measure the cilantro. I have made this with both low fat and fat free sour cream. When I use fat free, the dressing goes pretty watery (although it still tastes fine) in just a day or two. Low fat sour cream remains thick for several days. I use the Just 2 good or whatever that Hellmans low fat mayo is. I don't usually measure the garlic or the lime peel either. I have halved the recipe with no problem.


I think if you served this w/ grilled jerked shrimp or chicken it would WOW! It was good as a side w/o meat, too. THe dressing was awesome! (Thanks Sheila!)

[Sheila in MD]

Originally posted by tperes
I served it with
Creamy Cilantro Dressing (posted by Sheila in MD)

Glad you liked it! I do a salad that is similiar to the one fiesta one Alysha posted...it is a take off on my favorite Cheesecake Factory salad-the Santa Fe. I usually dice the grilled chicken and toss it with a bit of BBQ sauce before adding it to the greens, roasted red peppers, corn (preferably grilled...), black beans, green onions...sprinking of low fat cheddar cheese. I use the Creamy Cilantro dressing and sometimes a bit of peanut sauce as well. I LOVE the CF Cialntro vinigarette and with the swirl of peanut sauce-sounds weird but really good together!

Sheila in MD

[lindrusso]

Originally posted by manetta
Our favorite entree salad is one we have every Friday night with lots of wine!

Are you sure it's the salad you really like? ;)

But seriously.......thanks for the recipes! They look awesome! Now to decide which salad to try for next week. I'll try to post anything else we try. I know I have a few steak salad recipes in my Epicurious recipe box to try too.

[greek salad]

I made the Chicken Fiesta Salad that Lindrusso posted. It was great -- I added everything but the olives and I used some leftover chicken. So easy and great tasting. I had the salad for dinner and it was very filling. Maybe I went a bit overboard on the serving? I had the salad for dinner but I was wondering when I make it again -- what would be good with it? However, I did think it was great on its own. I have tried some of your other recipes that you have posted (I lurk a lot), and have always thought they were great. Thanks so much!

[gabbyh]

Our favorite entree salad is one we have every Friday night with lots of wine! Mixed greens of your choice tossed with blue cheese (gorgonzola is really good!), dried cranberries, toasted pecans and a really garlicky homemade balsamic vinaigrette. We top this with sliced, grilled chicken breast. So simple and good.

manetta, can you please post your balsamic vinaigrette recipe?
TY
~Gail

[manetta]

Originally posted by gabbyh


manetta, can you please post your balsamic vinaigrette recipe?
TY
~Gail

Sure, Gail! It is so simple! I usually eyeball amounts, but this is pretty close. I usually go with the lesser amount of Balsamic, but tinker with it to suit your taste. Also, I throw in a tablespoon or so of fresh herbs (chives, parsley, etc.) from time to time if I have some on hand. Here is the basic recipe:

1 garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/8 to 1/4 cup Balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Whisk garlic through balsamic together in small bowl. Then, slowly whisk in olive oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Hope you enjoy it!:)

[AzAnne]

Thank Alysha for starting this thread. With summer here in full force (107+ temps) I'm always looking for "cool kitchen" meals.

We made the Greek Salad w/ Grilled Chicken and DH proclaimed it a keeper. So easy and tasty too :p

The Seared Rib-Eye Steak with Arugula and Roasted Pepper Salad has been in our grilling rotation for a while. Yummy.

Looking forward to trying some of the other salads :D

[Lrimerman]

These recipes all sound fabulous. I love summer salads with grilled meat/seafood.

Here is a thread with the BC Salmon Salad. It calls for grilled salmon, but it can be used with leftover oven cooked (that is what she did on her show).

Always gets raves.

Lisa

Thread with Salmon Salad recipe from BC (http://community.cookinglight.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=25351&highlight=Barefoot+Contessa+and+Salmon)

[Ann Sanders]

Yeah, the temp is beginning to crank up here as well. It is always good to have many recipes for salads,sandwiches, and crock pot which I put outside during the day.

[lindrusso]

I was at the store today and while there, decided to make a salad so had to come up with something on the fly and I decided to do a Greek Chicken Salad. When I came to post it here, it turns out that it is pretty darned similar to the one that Kirsten posted!

I put in red onion, feta cheese, green olives (I wanted to use Kalamata, but I was out), cucumber, tomatoes, red pepper and some marinated artichokes.

My dressing was also pretty similar to the recipe Kirsten posted - I wanted to use red wine vinegar, but I was out, so I used white wine instead, along with EVOO. I also sprinkled the salad with oregano, garlic powder, salt and freshly ground pepper.

It was very yummy.

I'm going to cut and paste all of the other recipes, print and start trying one each week this summer. Yummy. :)

Alysha