Chicken Salad with Orange and Fennel #SundaySupper

Welcome to Sunday Supper.  This week we are celebrating National Salad Month and sharing Summer Dinner Salad Recipes.  We were invited to share our favorite Main Dish Salads with you today.

I don't know about you, but when the weather breaks my mind and body immediately start yearning for fresh light ingredients and salads become a staple for dinner.  The same thing happens during the Fall but then my yearnings are for stews, roasts and soups.

This recipe gives your 4-6 generous servings using the meat of a whole chicken.  Now, if you are feeling ambitious and you have a lazy Sunday staring you in the face, feel free to roast your own chicken.  I started with a rotisserie chicken from the market.

This yielded me nearly 5 cups of bite size pieces.  This recipe was inspired by one that I found in an old issue (April 2009) of Cuisine at Home.  I adapted it a bit by using avocado mayo and serving it atop a big green salad.

The mixture of avocado mayo, non-fat Greek yogurt, orange zest and orange juice provides a light, tangy, delicious dressing for the chicken salad that spreads throughout the green salad but would also be perfect for stuffing into a croissant, if you so chose.

The crunch of the fennel bulb, the sweetness of the grapes and the flavors of the tarragon and fennel fronds complement the chicken perfectly.   

Coat the chicken salad liberally with the dressing as you are going to want to distribute it among the salad greens.  If you are choosing to serve it without the additional greens, you may want  to dress it a little more lightly.  The sliced almonds add additional flavor and crunch but can be omitted if there are allergy concerns.

Your green salad can contain all of your favorite things.  I looked into the refrigerator and found some Romaine, Spinach, Cucumber and Grape Tomatoes.  That sounded good to me.

Load your plates with a generous serving of Greens topped with a couple of scoops of the Chicken Salad and you have a light, nutritious dinner that is sure to please the entire family.

Chicken Salad with Orange and Fennel

adapted from Cuisine at Home, Issue #74

1/2 c. avocado mayonnaise

1 (5 oz) container of non-fat Greek yogurt

Juice and zest of 1/2 an orange

4-5 cups cooked chicken, diced (I used a store bought rotisserie chicken)

1 c. halved red grapes

1/2 fennel bulb, diced, fronds reserved

2 T. chopped fennel fronds

1 T. chopped fresh tarragon

1/2 c. sliced almonds

1 head romaine lettuce

2 cups baby spinach leaves

1/2 seedless cucumber, diced

1 pt. grape tomatoes, halved

Whisk together the mayo, yogurt, zest and juice in a small bowl.  Set aside

Combine the chicken, grapes, dice fennel, fennel fronds and tarragon in a large bowl.  Add the dressing and stir to coat.  Stir in the almond slices.

Combine the lettuce, spinach, cucumber and tomatoes.  Divide the greens among 4-6 plates.  Divide the chicken salad between the number of people being served and place on top of the greens.  Print Recipe

Sunday Supper Summer Dinner Salad Recipes

Brilliant Beef Salads

• Grilled Greek Steak Cobb with Greek Goddess Dressing by A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures
• Grilled Keilbasa and Warm Mustard Viniagrette Salad by Our Good Life
• Healthy Steak Salad by Cricket’s Confections
• Roasted Tomato Vinaigrette Beef Salad by Sunday Supper Movement
• Southwestern Steak Salad by Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks

Choice Chicken Salads

• BBQ Chicken Salad by Palatable Pastime
• BBQ Chicken Avocado Hemp Seed Salad by Family Foodie
• Caribbean Chicken Quinoa Salad by My Life Cookbook
• Chicken Fried Picnic Salad by The Freshman Cook
• Chicken Salad with Orange and Fennel by A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Chrissy’s Cobb Salad by Fantastical Sharing of Recipes
• Grilled Panzanella Salad with Chicken Sausage by A Mind “Full” Mom
• Rainbow Greek Chicken Salad by Jersey Girl Cooks

Superb Seafood Salads

• Beer Steamed Shrimp Salad by Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
• Crab Salad with Chili, Tomato and Avocado by Monica’s Table
• French Lentil Salad Nicoise-Style with Seared Tuna by Caroline’s Cooking
• Red Camargue and Wild Rice Salad with Tuna by Food Lust People Love
• Roasted Cod and Edamame Salad by The Bitter Side of Sweet
• Seared Ahi Tuna Salad with Key Lime-Dijon Vinaigrette by Gourmet Everyday
• Shrimp & Orange Salad with Citrus Vinaigrette by That Skinny Chick Can Bake

Vibrant Veggie Salads

• Chopped Greek Salad by Soulfully Made
• Farmers Market Quinoa Salad by And She Cooks
• Iron Chef Morimoto Inspired Salad by NinjaBaker.com
• Kale Guacamole Salad by Pies and Plots
• Kale Superfoods Salad by Sew You Think You Can Cook
• Loaded Chopped Salad by Simple and Savory
• Muffuletta Pasta Salad by Cosmopolitan Cornbread

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