Pesto Chicken Salad with Summer Veggies (Updated)

This is an old recipe from the Foraged Dish — originally posted in 2016. But the original recipe was a bit more complicated, so when I revisited it this year, I decided to make some edits. As long-time readers may know, I am a sucker for anything pesto. I often keep store bought pesto around, but if you’re feeling ambitious (or your basil plants are out of control), make your own. This one is perfect for a picnic on a hot summer day, and the leftovers make a great lunch in the middle of a work day.

Pesto Chicken Salad with Summer Veggies

Published July 1, 2020 by Caitlin Sherwood

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Serves: 6   |    Active Time: 30 minutes

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Ingredients:

2 zucchini

1 tablespoon cooking oil, such as avocado

Salt

1 cup cherry tomatoes, sliced in half

1 pound chicken, cooked and diced into bite sized pieces

1/2 cup black olives, sliced in half

1/3 cup feta cheese crumbles

1/2 cup pesto sauce

Optional: 2 cups baby arugula for serving

Optional: basil leaves for garnish

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 450°F. Slice zucchini into bite-sized pieces, and toss in oil. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt. Roast zucchini for 15-20 minutes, until browning on the edges. Set aside to cool. (Note: Too hot to turn on the oven? You can slice the zucchini into strips and grill them. Dice into bite-sized pieces after they cool).
2. While zucchini cools, prep the rest of the chicken salad: in a large bowl, combine diced, cooked chicken, halved cherry tomatoes, sliced olives, feta cheese crumbles. Add zucchini and pesto sauce, and stir until everything is well mixed and coated in pesto.
3. To serve, place a handful of arugula on each plate, and then top with several spoonfuls of chicken salad. Garnish with basil leaves.

Spicy Watermelon & Avocado Salad

I've had a lot of mediocre watermelons in my life. You know what I'm talking about. There a little bit foamy, light pink and only slightly sweet. When I buy one of these watermelons it's because it's the first one I've seen all season. I can't help myself! It is an impulse buy. And then, a week later you are there in your kitchen looking at a half eaten mediocre watermelon. A lifeless, flavorless watermelon.

But oh! When you just wait one more month! When you start buying watermelons right around the peak of summer! That is when watermelons are heavy with juice, almost red, and as sweet as can be.

Of course, the same goes for avocados. I know you know what I'm talking about. I know you've bought one of those avocados before. Out of desperation. It was hard as a rock. But you told yourself it would alright. Just give it a few days on the counter and it'd be ready.

Needless to say, it never did quite get ripe or develop that perfect avocadoness. But, now! Now is the time to buy avocados. They are plentiful and ripe and soft. And what is better than a perfectly ripe avocado?

Where am I going with this do you ask? Let me tell you where I'm going. It's this salad. The first layer is soft, delicate butterhead lettuce (my favorite variety of lettuce). It's crisp and perfect in salads. I usually buy butterhead by the head, but often the outer leaves are torn or bruised by the time I make it home from the store. So I was SUPER excited when OrganicGirl announced that their next salad blend was going to be my very favorite: a pre-washed, organic blend of butterhead lettuce hearts!  And just in time for watermelon and avocado season to collide.

Destiny? I think so. 

Avocado and watermelon complement each other well: sweet and savory; creamy and crisp; fresh and bold. Both benefit from the addition of a little spice (I'm talking about you, jalapeño!)

Drizzle it with cilantro lime vinaigrette. Get out a fork and eat the whole platter yourself. Or, ok, share if you really want to. 

OrganicGirl provided me with product for this blog post, but the recipes and opinions are all my own. Working with brands to develop wholesome recipes is one way I keep Foraged Dish going! OrganicGirl helps me stock the pantry and keep the blog going. I only work with brands that I truly enjoy and use.  

Spicy Watermelon & Avocado Salad

Published June 29, 2017 by Caitlin Sherwood

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Buy watermelon and avocado in their peak season!

Serves: 4   |    Total Time: 20 minutes

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Ingredients:

• 1 cup watermelon, sliced thin
• 1 5-ounce container OrganicGirl Butter Greens 
• 1 cup clover sprouts 
• 1 avocado, sliced thin
• 1 jalapeño, sliced thin
• 1 recipe Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette

Directions:

1. Spread butterhead lettuce in a single layer on a platter or in a salad bowl. Top with sprouts, slices of watermelon and avocado, and slices of jalapeño. (Optional: if you do not like spicy food, consider de-seeding the jalapeño! Wash hands thoroughly after cutting and avoid touching your eyes).
2. Drizzle vinaigrette over salad when ready to serve. Enjoy!

5-Ingredient Chicken Salad

A LOT of time in my day is dedicated to food: I carve out time in the morning to make breakfast and we almost always make dinner after going to the gym in the evening... not to mention all of the moments in between! Made in Nature asked me to write a post on their blog showing everyone what a day in the life of me is like, and this is one thing I realized. Food = life. Read all about it on their site later today, here! 

A lot of the recipes on Foraged Dish have quite the ingredient list, which isn't always approachable for lunch on a weekday, so this recipe is an example of a lunch that is quick and easy to make any old day of the week, or even the night before! I'm a big fan of leftovers for lunch, but sometimes I just don't have any, so this simple salad is one way to a glorious desk lunch. 

So this chicken salad: YES, it has only 5-ingredients (ok, it's six if you count salt & pepper, but do those even count?):

• Chicken (duh!)
• Pecans for a nutty crunch
• Raisins add a touch of sweetness and a bit of chew--I used the Made in Nature Raisins, which have no added sugar (or anything, they are just raisins!) 
• Celery keeps everything bright and fresh
• Yogurt brings it all together. You can use mayo in place of the yogurt if you prefer, too.

This is about convenience, so use what you have. If you have mustard in the house, add a tablespoon! It adds just a bit more flavor and sauciness which I do not oppose. But for the sake of keeping this recipe easy and short, don't worry about mustard if you can't find it or you feel too lazy.

Because I am always (always) sneaking veggies onto my plate, I serve it all over a bed of greens. In this case, it's baby spinach but you could use arugula, lettuce, or a blend. You pick! 

This recipe is below, but I'm also sharing a Mango Coconut Chia Parfait that is seriously amazing over on the Made in Nature blog later today, that you should probably go check out, too. 

Made in Nature provided me with product and compensation to make a recipe with their product, but this is a recipe I make all the time already. Opinions are all my own. Working with brands to develop wholesome recipes is one way I keep Foraged Dish going! Made in Nature helps me stock the pantry and keep the blog going. I only work with brands that I truly enjoy and use. This post may contain affiliate links.

5-Ingredient Chicken Salad

Published May 16, 2017 by Caitlin Sherwood

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5-Ingredients and so easy you can make it in the morning before work, or in a big batch the night before.

Serves: 3   |    Total Time: 10 minutes

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Ingredients:

• 2 cups cubed chicken breast (cooked)
• 1/2 cup chopped celery (bite sized pieces)
• 1/4 cup plain whole-milk yogurt or mayo 
• 1/4 cup raisins with no added sugar
• 1/4 cup toasted pecan pieces 
• Salt & Pepper

Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix until even is well distributed. Chill in fridge and serve over a bed of greens.