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Saturday 18 August 2018

Chicken, watermelon and walnut salad - with a buttermilk ranch dressing


Yes, another chicken recipe! For me chicken has so many plus points. Its versatility, as well as the ease and speed with which it can be cooked, make it one of the most popular meats around. It's certainly popular in our house! Plus of course it has a high level of good quality protein, as well as B vitamins, iron, copper and selenium... and it's usually reasonably priced too!

So how about this recipe - it's chicken served with a combination of juicy watermelon, creamy buttermilk and peppery radishes … Yum!

Ingredients:
Serves Two
For the salad
2 chicken breasts
½ tbsp. olive oil
1 fennel bulb, stem and outer layers removed, thinly sliced
250g watermelon, cubed
50g radishes, sliced
40g walnuts, roughly chopped
25g rocket leaves
For the dressing
75ml buttermilk
1 tbsp. mayonnaise
1 garlic clove, crushed
2 tbsp. chopped chives

1 tbsp. lemon juice

Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/gas mark 4. Place a griddle pan over a medium heat and coat the chicken breasts with the olive oil. Place the chicken in the griddle pan and cook for 5-6 minutes on each side, until there are dark golden griddle marks. Place on a small baking tray in the oven for 8-10 minutes, until cooked through.
2. Place all the remaining salad ingredients in a large bowl.

3. Whisk the dressing ingredients together in a jug and season. Drizzle over the salad and divide between two plates, then slice the chicken breasts and place on top of the salad.
Nutritional Details:
Each serving provides
14.1g carbohydrate 19.4g fat 47.3g protein

Recipe
From an original idea here 
Need help with weight/measurement conversion
See here

Walnuts are one of the most popular and versatile of all nuts. When picked young, they're known as wet and their milky white kernels are mainly used for pickling. Far more common is the dried nut, either shelled or un-shelled. The brown-skinned kernel has a ridged surface, which looks like two halves of the brain.

Slightly bitter in flavour, walnuts are good eaten raw or cooked, in either sweet or savoury dishes, and are particularly useful for baking.

Read more about them here

It is interesting to note that some of the greenery in the above recipe is provided by using rocket leaves which is sometimes known as Arugula. Now we all know that salad greens are healthy, and that most are very low in calories. However, did you know that not all give you a good dose of nutrients... well Arugula/ Rocket is one leafy green vegetable that stands out as a rich source of many vitamins and minerals.

Consider the difference between iceberg lettuce and arugula/rocket:
Arugula contains about eight times the calcium,
fives times the vitamin A, vitamin C and vitamin K,
four times the iron as the same amount of iceberg lettuce.
The choice is easy... start with arugula/rocket for a healthier salad!


A variety of recipe ideas are found within this blog, and not all may be suitable for you. If you may have any food allergies, or underlying health issues these must always be taken into account. If you are a diabetic and not sure how certain foods may affect your blood sugars, test is best, i.e. use your meter.

All the best Jan

21 comments:

Jo said...

I never think of adding things like watermelon to a salad but I bet it's delicious. I do love chicken, there's so many ways it can be used.

Tom said...

...a nice splash of color with the watermelon.

Martha said...

Looks so delicious!

eileeninmd said...

Hello, this looks delicious. Another great salad. Thanks for sharing.
Enjoy your day and weekend!

Christine said...

I have never tried watermelon in a salad, it does add colour.

Valerie-Jael said...

I wish I had a portion of this in front of me right now! Hugs, Valerie

Pam said...

I love watermelon but it seems harder and harder to find good ones...although with that said I did have a good one the other day, first of about five this summer.

Gloria Baker said...

looks amazing and delicious !

Ygraine said...

Oh this looks absolutely scrumptious...just the thing for a Saturday evening meal!:)
Thank you so much for sharing...

Have a Great Weekend!

William Kendall said...

It sounds good, though I'm indifferent towards watermelon.

The Joy of Home with Martha Ellen said...

Jan, we eat a lot of chicken as well. So thank you for more inspiring ways to serve it. Arugula has a tasty bite that is great in salads and so nutritious as you have said. The watermelon in this salad sounds wonderful for summertime. Have a great weekend. ♥

NCmountainwoman said...

I love all those ingredients but never would have thought to put them together. I'll definitely give it a try.

Elephant's Child said...

When I was growing up chicken was a luxury. A rare treat. Although I no longer eat meat I am glad that has changed.
And must remember (in season) to include watermelon in salads.

Our photos said...

Delicious !!

angryparsnip said...

I adore watermelon every summer one chef always has watermelon tomato salad.
So cool and so tasty.

cheers, parsnip and badger

ann said...

This recipe looks so good. Love watermelon, eat lots of chicken, a the walnuts give it crunch. I didn't realize that you are in England. I have visited England twice and my heritage is mostly English and Irish. Since I also go to Weight Watchers, I'll have to figure out how many points the salad is and will probably amend it to reduce the points.

Bob Bushell said...

Beautiful salad, the chicken can substituted with a with brie cheese.

Marco Luijken said...

Hello Jan,
That's a delicious and healthy meal.
It will be tasty very well.

Greetings, Marco

Author R. Mac Wheeler said...

watermelon and chicken...not a combination I often think about

Magic Love Crow said...

Delicious! Thank you Jan!

carol l mckenna said...

Oh this sounds wonderful! Great recipe!

Happy Day to you,
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