Springtime Chicken Salad

Spring has sprung and a lot of people are looking for lighter ideas for meals. I bring to you a mayo-free chicken salad. In this preparation, we poach the chicken, so that lends to making the chicken salad lighter as well.

Forks Up!

Poached Chicken

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

1 – 2 ½ (3lb) whole chicken
8 to 10 cups water
10 sprigs parsley
1 small onion, halved
1 small carrot, halved
1 stalk celery, halved
3 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 bay leaf

Directions

1. Put the chicken parsley, onion, carrot, celery, garlic, black pepper and bay leaf in a large saucepan and place on high heat.
2. Bring to a boil and then lower the heat to low and cover.
3. Poach the chicken for 40 to 50 minutes or until firm to the touch.
4. Remove the pan from the heat, uncover and cool the chicken in the liquid for 30 minutes or until cool enough to touch.
5. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and reserve the liquid for stock.
6. Remove the skin and pull the meat away from the bones. Discard the skin and bones.
7. Strain the stock and store, covered, in the refrigerator for 3 days or freeze for later use. Remove any fat from the surface of the stock before freezing or using.

Grainy Mustard Dressing

Makes 2 cups

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Ingredients

1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1 1/2 cups olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon local honey
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 tsp. grainy mustard
1 clove roasted garlic (optional)

Directions

1. Combine all ingredients in a glass jar or plastic container with a lid.
2. Place the lid on and shake vigorously for 1 minute.
3. Place pulled chicken in a small bowl. Add enough dressing to coat the chicken and mix together. Check seasoning.
4. Serve over romaine or mixed greens.

Visit the BlackDoctor.org Healthy Weight Loss center for more articles and recipes.

Chef Woods has over 25 years in the hospitality business as a chef, author, television host, restauranteur, corporate spokesperson, foodologist and now blogger.  For the past 10 years, Chef Woods has been dropping knowledge on America on how to live better through food and diet, from kicking off Michelle Obama's "Let’s Move" campaign to traveling around the country speaking and performing cooking demonstrations.  Chef Woods is on a mission to educate about better food choices, better cooking techniques and change the African American unhealthy paradigm one meal at a time.