Pesto Chicken, Chickpea and Pickled Onion Salad
Let’s talk about health baby.
Come August, Wesley and I are taking our first vacation
together. We are headed to Maui with his family and I am literally counting
down the days. Seventy-two days to be exact.
And while I am crazy excited, it’s time for me to buckle down
get serious about getting shape. Which is a two sided task. Not only do I need
to buckle down in the gym and on the yoga mat, I need to be a little better
about what I’m eating.
My friend Morgan and I have even resolved to send each other
daily emails to help each other track our progress. Girly, I know. But
necessary for me. I’ve never been a particularly self disciplined person.
So Tuesday I made a delicious salad that was satisfying and
fit in with my health goals.
And most importantly, made awesome leftovers.
You will need…
5 chicken tenders (smaller cut chicken breast that cook more
evenly)
½ large cucumber, thinly sliced
3 celery stalks, chopped
1 can (15 ounces) chickpeas (garbanzo beans), rinsed and
drained
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
½ cup apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
Salt and pepper to taste
Start by combining your red onions, sugar and vinegar in a
small bowl so that all the onions are soaking in the vinegar.
Allow them to sit for at least 1 hour, but up to overnight.
Then, season your chicken lightly with salt and pepper.
Cook your chicken on a grill pan or on the grill over a medium
heat for about 4 minutes a side. Flipping once.
When the chicken has cooked, remove it from the heat and allow
it to cool enough for you to handle.
While the chicken is cooling, combine the cucumber, tomato,
chickpeas and celery in a medium sized bowl.
As soon as the chicken has cooled, use 2 forks to pull the
chicken apart till its shredded.
Add the shredded chicken and the pesto to the salad mixture
and toss everything well.
Finally, add in the pickled onions and their vinegar and toss
it again.
Serve warm, or cooled.
Love and Beer Floats
Angela
5 chicken tenders (smaller cut chicken breast that cook more
evenly)
½ large cucumber, thinly sliced
3 celery stalks, chopped
1 can (15 ounces) chickpeas (garbanzo beans), rinsed and
drained
1/3 cup basil pesto
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
½ cup apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
Salt and pepper to taste
Start by combining your red onions, sugar and vinegar in a
small bowl so that all the onions are soaking in the vinegar.
Allow them to sit for at least 1 hour, but up to overnight.
Then, season your chicken lightly with salt and pepper.
Cook your chicken on a grill pan or on the grill over a medium
heat for about 4 minutes a side. Flipping once.
When the chicken has cooked, remove it from the heat and allow
it to cool enough for you to handle.
While the chicken is cooling, combine the cucumber, tomato,
chickpeas and celery in a medium sized bowl.
As soon as the chicken has cooled, use 2 forks to pull the
chicken apart till its shredded.
Add the shredded chicken and the pesto to the salad mixture
and toss everything well.
Finally, add in the pickled onions and their vinegar and toss
it again.
Serve warm, or cooled.