Say Yes to Salad
Salads are far more dynamic than they used to be. With the rise in popularity of so many different types of greens – kale, watercress, and spinach, just to name a few – your average green salad just got a whole lot more interesting. Salads also aren’t limited to vegetables. Fruit, grains, seeds, nuts, and other proteins are popular additions and can turn a side salad into a filling, complete meal.
Having a few choice salad recipes on hand is useful. Most salads come together easily, and can often be prepared the night before. They are an easy way to pack all four food groups into a single bowl, and are a pleasantly refreshing meal to have on a warm summer day. And given their versatility, they are an excellent way to make use of leftovers.
Here are a few of our favourite salad recipes that go above and beyond the traditional.
RecipesChicken Caesar Salad
“Would you like the garden salad or the Caesar?” The answer is almost always Caesar. Who can resist that creamy garlic dressing, crisp romaine lettuce, and those crunchy croutons? This recipe throws in diced cooked chicken, turning it into a complete meal.
RecipesChicken Salad with Fruit
This dish walks the line between fruit salad and green salad, and the results couldn’t be more appetizing. Citrus, strawberries, and grapes are a perfectly sweet contrast to savoury rotisserie chicken. White pepper, curry, lemon juice, and garlic give it a final kick that makes this salad hit all the right notes.
RecipesChicken Taco Salad
Here’s a new twist for your Taco Tuesday. This variation on the traditional taco calls for diced chicken breast sautéed in taco seasoning, and then tossed onto a bed of crisp lettuce, tomato, cheese, beans, and broken tortilla chips. Yum!
RecipesCurried Waldorf Salad
This salad is a combination of two classics – curried chicken salad and Waldorf salad. Apples and walnuts pair wonderfully with the smokiness and spice of the curry and create a depth of flavour that makes this salad wholly satisfying.
RecipesChicken and Pasta Salad
Grilled eggplant, zucchini, and onions accompany cooked chicken and penne, all tossed in a tangy balsamic dressing. Truly a taste of summer, this recipe is the perfect addition to any picnic or barbecue.
RecipesChicken Crunch Salad
This refreshing salad calls for watercress, plump green grapes, and red pepper, all of which give it a delightful freshness and satisfying texture. Perfect for lunch or an afternoon snack.
RecipesCool Spicy Noodle Salad
This noodle salad uses sesame oil, garlic chilli sauce, chilli pepper flakes, and ginger to create an Asian-inspired burst of flavour. This dish is best prepared the night before, as the flavours become more pronounced as they settle.
RecipesRoasted Chicken and Cauliflower Salad
In this recipe, chicken and cauliflower are marinated with balsamic vinegar, mustard, and honey and roasted to perfection, then served on a bed of baby spinach. Freshly grated parmesan accentuates the sweet and savoury flavours of this dish.
RecipesChicken & Udon Noodle Salad with Fresh Mint
Soba noodles, crisp veggies, and cooked chicken come together with ginger, sesame oil, and fresh mint to create delicious and refreshing flavour in this summer salad. An instant picnic classic!
RecipesGrated Beet & Chicken Salad with Cranberry Vinaigrette
In this dish, raw, grated beets, spinach, cabbage, and radicchio create a satisfying crunch, and are topped with hearty chicken and a sweet and tangy cranberry vinaigrette. Chock full of iron and protein, this salad makes a filling main dish.
