30 December 2012

Chicken Salad with Creamy Roasted Pepper Dressing

I was recently diagnosed with gallbladder disease and have since had to seriously cut out fat from my diet. We were reasonably healthy eaters before, but now I've needed to cut out all animal fats, which for me means dairy products, including eggs. I also need to be especially attentive to the other kids of oils and fats that are in processed foods, as well as those I use to cook with. Pretty much I'm left with olive oil and the occasional lean white meat, and every thing else needs to be fat free. It's been a fun adventure discovering new ways to enjoy produce and making sure my family is getting all the essential nutrients they need. I made this salad tonight and got rave reviews.


For the chicken:
(I used several chicken cutlets because that's what I had, but skinless breasts work well too)

Mix 1 quart water with 1/4 cup table salt and brine chicken for at least 30 minutes and up to 3 hours. Pat dry and rub both sides lightly with olive oil. Season with pepper. For this dish I also used some generic Italian seasoning, but you really could use whatever suits you. Just don't add any more salt, since it's already been brined.  

Place on a foil lined baking sheet and bake in the center of the oven at 350 until the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees. Depending on the size and thickness of your cuts, this can take anywhere from 10 to 30 minutes. I use a probe thermometer that beeps when the meat reaches the right temperature, which takes a lot of guess work out of the process. 

For the Dressing:
(makes about 1 cup)

Roasted red or orange pepper (mine was orange)
Half of a 14 oz. container of soft tofu, drained but not pressed
Light drizzle of olive oil (1/2 to 1 tsp)
Couple drops of habanero sauce (for flavor, not heat)
Salt and pepper to taste

Combine everything in a blender or food processor and enjoy. We ate it warm for dinner, and cold for left overs the next day and liked it both ways.

For the Salad: 

Serve chicken on a bed of fresh spinach with diced tomatoes and dressing. Delicious!

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