Chicken and Farfalle Salad with Walnut Pesto

The pesto dressing is what makes this salad exceptional. According to Cooking Light where I copied this recipe from, to make sure the walnut pesto ingredients are evenly minced, stop the food processor halfway through processing, and scrape down the sides.

I add a little bit of Parmesan cheese and cheat a bit, but the recipe just isn't complete without the cheese:)

You can substitute black olives instead of kalamata olives, which usually is less salty.

Enjoy:)

CHICKEN AND FARFALLE SALAD WITH WALNUT PESTO

Ingredients:
Salad:
2 cups uncooked farfalle (bow tie pasta; about 6 ounces)
2 cups cubed cooked skinless, boneless chicken breast
1 cup quartered cherry tomatoes
2 tablespoons chopped pitted kalamata olives

Walnut Pesto:
1 cup basil leaves
1/2 cup fresh parsley leaves
3 tablespoons coarsely chopped walnuts, toasted
1 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 garlic clove

Remaining ingredient:
4 curly leaf lettuce leaves

Directions:
To prepare salad, cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain; rinse with cold water. Combine pasta, chicken, tomatoes, and olives in a large bowl.

To prepare walnut pesto, combine basil and next 6 ingredients (through garlic) in a food processor; pulse 6 times or until finely minced. Add pesto to pasta mixture, tossing gently to coat. Place 1 lettuce leaf on each of 4 plates; top each serving with salad mixture.

Makes 4 servings (serving size: 1 1/2 cups salad)
Per serving:
Calories: 375
Fat: 12.5 g
Carbs: 36 g
Protein: 30 g
Fiber: 3 g

Chicken Marsala

This one is an easy chicken recipe which is also very delicious. You can serve with a salad and have a complete meal. And it takes only 20 minutes to prepare it.

And you get to use wine:)

Sage is a great herb that works with this recipe. Use about 1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage if you have any available. You can use dried also, but fresh is always nicer. You can also use rosemary, especially if you are serving a boiled potato next to it which would add about 160 calories for a medium sized one (about 200 g).

You can also substitute shallots with the onion if you want a more garlicky taste. I just use whatever is handy.

CHICKEN MARSALA

Ingredients:
4 chicken breasts, boned, skinless (5 oz. each)
1/4 cup flour
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup Marsala wine
1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
1 onion, sliced thin
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Mix together pepper, salt, and flour. Coat chicken with seasoned flour.

Heat oil in a heavy-bottomed skillet. Place chicken breasts in skillet and brown on both sides. Remove chicken from skillet and set aside.

Discard all but 1 tablespoon fat from skillet and sauté onion and mushrooms, stirring occasionally, until liquid mushrooms give off is evaporated. Add Marsala and cook mixture, stirring, until Marsala is almost evaporated. Add broth and chicken with any juices that have accumulated on plate and simmer, turning chicken once, until cooked through, about 15 minutes. Transfer chicken with tongs to a platter.

Simmer mushroom sauce until liquid is reduced to about 1/2 cup. Spoon mushroom sauce around chicken and sprinkle with parsley.

Makes 4 servings:
Per serving: 1 chicken breast with 1/3 cup sauce
Calories: 235
Fat: 6 g
Carbohydrates: 35.5 g
Protein: 8 g

Gourmet Chicken Salad

Chicken is a must when you are dieting. It is low in calories, it is filling and it's a good source of protein. This version of the recipe uses regular mayo. It's not so much, so I didn't touch the recipe, but if you want to save a bit of calories use low fat version.

Most of the calories come from the walnuts, which is 200 calories for the 1/4 cup. Since the recipe is for 2 servings, if you skip the walnuts you would be saving 100 calories etc. You get the picture:)

1 chicken breast is 130 calories, and 1 tablespoon of blue cheese is about 60 calories etc. So this dish as is would be 400 calories which should be one course without anything else served with it so that you can have enough for the rest of the day. If you think this course is too small for you just serve it on a bed of greens which will add only 10 calories per cup.

You can also substitute blue cheese with feta cheese but the taste would change completely and be careful with how much salt you are using as feta is usually salty.

GOURMET CHICKEN SALAD

Ingredients:
1 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1/4 lemon, zested and juiced
3/4 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary leaves
1/4 cup and 2 tablespoons chicken broth
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
2 tablespoons chopped celery
2 tablespoons crumbled blue cheese
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1-1/2 teaspoons brown mustard
salt and pepper to taste
garlic powder to taste

Directions:
Place chicken in a skillet, and sprinkle with lemon juice and 1/2 the rosemary. Pour broth into the skillet. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer 25 minutes, or until chicken juices run clear. Drain, cool, and dice chicken.

In a large bowl, toss chicken with lemon zest, remaining rosemary, walnuts, celery, blue cheese, mayonnaise, brown mustard, salt and pepper, and garlic powder. Chill in the refrigerator at least 1 hour before serving.

Makes 2 servings
Per serving:
Calories: 400
Fat: 36 g
Carbs: 5 g
Protein: 17 g