Like many Americans, I LOVE Chinese Chicken Salad. Unfortunately, when dining out, you never know quite what you w will get when you order this tasty salad-especially when it comes to it’s nutritional content. From four types of sugar used to sweeten the dressing at a popular fast food restaurant, to almost 80 grams of fat and over 1,000 calories at a popular restaurant chain, excess is the only sure bet.
What you can count on here instead is a flavorful, large-meal-sized salad that packs in more protein and great nutrition, with a lot fewer carbs and calories. Enjoy!
Serves Four
4 cups spring salad mix
1 cup shredded Napa cabbage
1 medium red pepper, julienned
1 medium yellow pepper, julienned
2 ounces fresh snow peas, trimmed and cut in half on diagonal
1/2 cup sliced green onions
4 cups thin strips or shredded cooked chicken breast (about 1 pound)
3 tablespoons natural rice wine vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoons no-calorie sweetener or sugar (or 2 packets)
1 tablespoon light soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon fresh grated ginger
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 1/2 tablespoons sesame oil
Freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup crispy rice noodles (can substitute sliced almonds)
1. In a large bowl, toss together the salad mix, cabbage, peppers, snow peas, and green onions. Add chicken to bowl. Set aside.
2. Whisk together remaining ingredients except rice noodles and pour into bowl. Toss lightly and portion onto 4 plates. Top each salad with 2 tablespoons noodles (or almonds).
Nutrition Information Per Serving:
Calories 320 | Fat 15 grams (2 saturated) | Carbohydrate 13 grams | Fiber 3 grams | Protein 33 grams | Sodium 390 milligrams
Diabetic exchange = 4 Lean Meat, 1 Vegetable, 1/2 Carbohydrate, 1 Fat | WW plus point comparison = 8 points | Smart Points 8
(a packet of fast-food Chinese dressing is 9 points!)
