Perfect for a picnic or any sunny day, this chicken salad leaves the mayo behind.
Gluten-free; easily made paleo if you switch the green beans out for something like crispy cauliflower nuggets or broccolini.
‘Undressed’ Poppyseed & Orange Chicken Salad with Green Beans
2 chicken breasts
1/2 c. celery
1/2 c. pecans
1/4 c. chives
12 oz. haricots verts
Juice of 1 orange
2 tsp. dijon (grainy to be whole30 compliant)
2 tsp. poppy seeds
1/4 c. grapeseed oil
2 big pinches grey salt
Other citrus juice (optional)
3 Tbsp. coconut oil
Chop the chicken into roughly 1 inch cubes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Heat 2 Tbsp. coconut oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and sautee until golden brown and delicious looking.
Pull out your haricots verts, and chop into roughly bite-sized pieces.
In a separate pan, heat 1 Tbsp. coconut oil until melted. Add the haricots verts and cook until blistered and wilted.
While all that is working, slice the celery into thin half moons, toast the pecans in a dry pan until starting to brown and become fragrant, and chop or snip the chives. Add each new prepped ingredient to a large bowl as it is ready.
In a separate smaller bowl, make the vinaigrette. Whisk the orange juice, dijon, poppy seeds and grapeseed oil together until an emulsion forms. Taste. Add a big pinch of grey salt and taste again. If the flavors aren’t already sparkling, add another big pinch of salt. If your orange is still kind of dull tasting, hit it with a squirt or two of other citrus juice until the flavors sing.
When the chicken and/or green beans are done, add to the large bowl and toss to combine. Add half of the vinaigrette and toss. I was fine with the dressing level here; if you need to, add the rest.
Serves 2 for dinner + 1 for lunch.
Gastography 