Diet friendly Chinese chicken salad

Who doesn't love a good Chinese chicken salad for lunch? Sounds like a healthy alternative to a burger, right? Choose carefully, however, as all Oriental type chicken salads are not created equal! Applebee's Oriental Chicken Salad (regular size) weighs in at 707 calories and 25 grams of fat and 71% of your RDA of sodium. Slightly better (caloriewise only) is the small serving of Chili's Asian Chicken Salad with Grilled Chicken for 540 calories. Beware though, as it has a whopping 33 grams of fat and more sodium than most people need in a whole day! A better alternative seems to be to make your own at home, so here's an easy, great tasting recipe that comes in at around 250 calories and is chock full of six servings of protein, vegetables and fruit. A friend made it for Susan for lunch one day (recipe source unknown) and even Rolly (who doesn't like "diet" food) agreed that it made a colorful and tasty lunch

Chinese Chicken Salad Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup canned pineapple chunks (no sugar added), drain and reserve juice
• 1 Tbsp rice or cider vinegar
• 1 Tbsp soy sauce (Pearl River Bridge preferred)
• 1 1/2 tsp Dijon-style mustard
• 1 tsp peanut or vegetable oil
• dash five-spice powder (optional)
• 6 oz. skinned and boned cooked chicken breasts, cut into thin strips
• 2 cups shredded lettuce
• 1/4 cup sliced green onions
• 2 Tbsp coarsely chopped fresh parsley
• 1 1/2 oz drained canned water chestnuts, sliced
• 1 medium green onion, trimmed and cut lengthwise into 4 thin strips (for garnish)
• 1/2 tsp sesame seed, toasted

Directions:

1. In medium glass or stainless steel bowl (not aluminum because of the acidic ingredients) combine reserved pineapple juice, vinegar, soy sauce, mustard, oil, and five spice powder.
2. Add chicken and toss to coat.
3. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour, tossing mixture occasionally.
4. In another bowl combine, lettuce, sliced green onions, and parsley and toss to combine.
5. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use.

To Serve:

1. Line serving platter with lettuce mixture.
2. Spoon chicken mixture onto lettuce mixture and top chicken with pineapple chunks, bell pepper, and water chestnuts.
3. Garnish with green onion strips and sprinkle with sesame seed.
4. Makes 2 servings.

Each serving is 245 calories, which translates to Weight Watchers exchanges:
3 protein
2 1/2 vegetables
1/2 fat
1/2 fruit
25 optional calories

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/salads-articles/diet-friendly-chinese-chicken-salad-4337742.html

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