Description
Bold Mediterranean flavors dance through this dense bean chicken salad, offering a protein-packed culinary journey. Crisp vegetables and tender chicken blend seamlessly, creating a nourishing meal you’ll savor with each refreshing bite.
Ingredients
Scale
Proteins:
- 3 chicken cutlets
Seasonings:
- 1 tablespoon (15 milliliters) pesto
- 1 teaspoon (5 milliliters) all-purpose seasoning
- Salt to taste
- Pepper to taste
Instructions
- Marinate chicken cutlets with pesto, salt, pepper, and all-purpose seasoning for enhanced flavor.
- Heat a pan over medium temperature and cook chicken for 3-4 minutes on each side until golden brown and thoroughly cooked through.
- Allow chicken to rest for 2-3 minutes, then slice into thin, uniform strips.
- Finely dice all vegetables including white beans, banana peppers, and crumble mozzarella cheese into a spacious mixing bowl.
- Create a vibrant dressing by whisking olive oil, honey, Dijon mustard, fresh lemon juice, garlic paste, salt, and ground pepper in a separate small bowl.
- Gently layer sliced chicken strips over the vegetable mixture.
- Drizzle prepared dressing across the salad and toss thoroughly to ensure even coating and distribution of flavors.
- Serve immediately for optimal taste and texture, or refrigerate in an airtight container where the salad will continue to develop deeper flavors for up to 5 days.
Notes
- Swap chicken for tofu or tempeh to create a vegetarian version that maintains protein richness and satisfying texture.
- Customize heat levels by adjusting banana pepper quantity or replacing with jalapeños for spice lovers.
- Marinate chicken in pesto overnight to intensify flavor and ensure maximum tenderness before cooking.
- Prepare dressing separately and store in refrigerator up to 3 days to save time during meal prep.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 8 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Appetizer, Snacks
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 3
- Calories: 150 kcal
- Sugar: 0 g
- Sodium: 200 mg
- Fat: 6 g
- Saturated Fat: 1.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4.5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 2 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 26 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg