Grilled Chicken Salad with a Fresh Strawberry Dressing

Makes: 4 servings, about 2 cups each

Active Time: 45 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients

Fresh Strawberry Dressing

• 1 cup strawberries, rinsed, hulled and sliced
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons almond oil (see Tips) or canola oil

Grilled Chicken Salad

• 8 ounces thin asparagus, stem ends snapped off, cut into 2-inch pieces (about 2 cups)
• 8 ounces sugar snap peas, stemmed (2 cups; see Tips)
• 8 ounces snow peas, stemmed (2 cups)
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon almond oil or canola oil
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 1/2 cup chopped scallions
• 12 ounces boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed
• 2 teaspoons canola oil
• 1 teaspoon salt-free lemon-pepper seasoning
• 1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted (see Tips)
• 4 whole strawberries for garnish

Preparation

1. To prepare dressing: Place strawberries, vinegar, pepper, sugar and salt in a blender or food processor; process until pureed, stopping once or twice to scrape down the sides. Add 2 tablespoons oil and process until smooth.
2. To prepare salad: Put a large pot of water on to boil for cooking vegetables. Prepare a grill or preheat broiler.
3. Add asparagus, sugar snaps and snow peas to the boiling water and cook for 2 minutes. Drain, rinse with cold water to refresh, then blot dry with paper towels. Whisk lemon juice, 1 tablespoon oil, salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Add the vegetables and scallions; toss to coat.
4. Rub chicken with 2 teaspoons canola oil and sprinkle with lemon-pepper seasoning. Oil the grill rack (see Tips). Grill the chicken until lightly browned and no longer pink in the center, about 6 minutes per side. (Alternatively, broil the chicken on an oiled broiler pan 4 to 6 inches from the heat source until cooked through, about 6 minutes per side.) Let rest for 5 minutes.
5. Cut the chicken crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Divide the vegetable mixture among 4 plates. Arrange the chicken over the vegetables. Spoon about 3 tablespoons of the dressing over each salad. Sprinkle with almonds and garnish each serving with a strawberry. Serve immediately.

Tips & Notes

• Make Ahead Tip: Cover and refrigerate the dressing (Step 1) for up to 2 days. Cook the vegetables (Steps 2-3) up to 4 hours before serving; store in the refrigerator under barely moistened paper towels.

• Tips: Almond oil is an unrefined oil pressed from almonds. You can find it in many supermarkets and natural-foods stores. Store it in the refrigerator.
• Sugar snaps have a fibrous seam on the inside curve. To remove it, grasp the stem protruding from one end and pull it down the inside curve as if you were unzipping the pea.
• To toast sliced almonds: Place in a small dry skillet and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until fragrant and lightly browned, 2 to 4 minutes.
• Oiling a grill rack before you grill foods helps ensure that the food won’t stick. Oil a folded paper towel, hold it with tongs and rub it over the rack. (Do not use cooking spray on a hot grill.)

Nutrition

Per serving: 319 calories; 18 g fat ( 2 g sat , 11 g mono ); 47 mg cholesterol; 18 g carbohydrates; 1 g added sugars; 23 g protein; 6 g fiber; 429 mg sodium; 640 mg potassium.