This chicken salad is the perfect lunch. It’s loaded with protein and contains 3 servings of veggies, all drizzled with a miso-based vinaigrette. Make the effort to find pea shoots, the curly, leafy shoots of peapods, as they have a sweet flavor and add almost 20 grams of protein to this salad. We add long strips of carrots, cucumbers and radishes to make the salad extra colorful, but you can use whatever veggies you have on hand. Eating this salad with chopsticks (bento style) helps you slow down and savor each bite.
Miso is a source of probiotics, the healthy bacteria that promotes gut health. Cooking can kill some of these bacteria, so this recipe is great to preserve as much of the probiotics as possible. Plus, it’s high in fiber, which serves as food for the probiotics and is necessary for the health benefits probiotics offer.
Active time: 15 minutes Total time: 40 minutes
Bento Box Chicken Salad
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce or tamari
- 4 teaspoons honey, divided
- 3 medium cloves garlic, finely chopped, and smashed with the side of knife, divided
- 2 medium (11oz/312g each) boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 2 tablespoons unseasoned rice wine vinegar
- 2 teaspoons white miso
- 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, finely grated (use a microplane zester or small holes on box grater)
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 3 tablespoons avocado oil
- 5 cups (140g) baby kale leaves
- 2 cups (60g) pea shoots
- 2 medium Persian cucumbers, thinly sliced on an angle
- 1 large carrot, peeled into long strips with a vegetable peeler
- 1 small watermelon radish, thinly sliced on a mandolin
Directions
In a medium, non-reactive bowl or storage container, whisk together the tamari, 1 tablespoon honey and 2/3 of the garlic. Add the chicken and stir to coat. Cover and set aside in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes and up to 24 hours.
In a small bowl, whisk the remaining teaspoon of honey, garlic, rice wine vinegar, miso, ginger and turmeric. Gradually whisk in the oil. Set aside.
Preheat a gas grill or stovetop grill pan over medium-high heat. Add the chicken breasts, discarding the remaining marinade. Reduce heat to medium-low and grill until cooked through (an instant-read thermometer will register 165°F/74°C), about 8–10 minutes per side. Place on a cutting board and let the chicken rest for 5 minutes. Slice thinly crosswise.
Arrange the baby kale and pea shoots in 4 bowls. Top with the chicken, cucumbers, carrot, and radish. Drizzle with the dressing and serve immediately.
Serves: 4 | Serving Size: 4 1/2 ounces/125g chicken breast, 1/4 of the greens and vegetables, 4 teaspoons dressing
Nutrition (per serving): Calories: 355; Total Fat: 12g; Saturated Fat: 2g; Monounsaturated Fat: 8g; Cholesterol: 76mg; Sodium: 512mg; Carbohydrate: 13g; Dietary Fiber: 6g; Sugar: 8g; Protein: 42g
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