Here’s a lettuce-less twist to Salad Night. And a great way to practice your knife skills. I actually prepared this salad the night before we ate it. I knew if I didn’t we’d end up ordering pizza or picking up Chick-fil-A, because let’s face it what sounds better – pizza or broccoli? But if dinner is ready to go, no waiting, then it’s hard to argue with healthy. I can’t promise you that this recipe is tastier than pizza, but I can assure that it’s delicious in its own right. And it’s most definitely better for you.

Broccoli Chicken Salad

Ingredients for salad:

• 1-2 tbs olive oil
• 1 lb ground chicken
• 1 lb broccoli, chopped
• 2 carrots, diced
• 1 C shelled edamame
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• Crunchy Chow Mein Noodles for garnish

Ingredients for dressing:

• 2 tbsp rice wine vinegar
• 2 tbsp canola oil
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1 1/2 tsp sriracha
• 1 1/2 tbsp minced ginger
• 2 tsp minced garlic
• 1 tsp salt

Steps

1. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil.
2. In a medium skillet brown chicken in olive oil over medium-high heat. Season liberally with salt and pepper.
3. Par-boil broccoli for 2-3 minutes. Drain broccoli and put into an ice bath.
4. In a salad bowl, combine the broccoli with the edamame, carrot, and red pepper.
5. Whisk together dressing ingredients and toss with the salad. Top with the Chow Mein noodles. Note: If you choose to make this ahead of time like I did, keep the dressing separate from the salad until serving.

*This recipe is adapted from Sara at http://www.wherethecookiesare.com/2013/07/10/chinese-chicken-broccoli-salad-with-fresh-ginger-sesame-dressing/*