CHICKEN AND PEAR SALAD

Chicken & Pear Salad: ChefMD™

Aired on Lifetime Television
Sunday, July 15 and September 2, 2007
Show 416

 

Food As Medicine Tips: Pears are rich in fiber which can help prevent constipation. Fiber also helps lower high cholesterol levels -- great news for anyone trying to reduce their risk of heart disease and diabetes.

Culinary Taste Tip: White or yellow? Which is better? The skin color of chicken doesn't matter when it comes to nutritional value. Choose fresh chicken with opaque rather than spotted skin.

Culinary Technique Tip: Chicken needs to be thoroughly rinsed under cool water before preparing. Eating chicken with the skin on doubles the amount of fat and saturated fat in the dish.

 

Poached Chicken & Asian Pear Salad

Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 12 minutes
Servings: 4
Calories: 352 per serving (34% from fat)

 

Ingredients:

4 (4 oz.) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
½ cup chicken broth or stock
Salt and freshly ground black pepper (optional)
3 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar, divided
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
6 cups packed mesclun or spring mix salad greens
1 Asian pear, cored, cut into very thin slices
¼ cup (1 oz.) crumbled blue cheese or gorgonzola cheese
¼ cup coarsely chopped walnuts, toasted
4 multigrain or whole wheat rolls, warmed

 

Preparation:

Combine chicken and broth in a nonstick skillet. Cook over high heat until beginning to simmer. Cover and reduce heat to medium-low. Cook at a bare simmer six minutes.

Turn chicken over, cover and continue to cook until chicken is cooked through, six to seven minutes longer. Transfer to a carving board, reserving juices in skillet. Spoon one tablespoon of the vinegar over chicken. Season to taste with salt and pepper and let stand five minutes.

Combine remaining two tablespoons vinegar and oil, mixing well. Stir in one tablespoon of the reserved chicken broth from skillet. Arrange greens on four large serving plates. Fan Asian pear slices attractively over one side of the greens.

Carve chicken crosswise into ½-inch thick slices and arrange over the other side of the greens. Scatter the blue cheese and walnuts over all and drizzle with vinegar mixture. Serve with warm rolls.

 

Substitutions:

Torn mixed salad greens may replace the mesclun or spring greens mix. White wine vinegar may replace the white balsamic vinegar.

 

Tip:

Toast the walnuts in a 350°F toaster oven until fragrant and beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. Refrigerate the remaining broth used to poach the chicken for another use.

 

Nutritional Analysis:

Total fat (g): 14
Fat calories (kc): 122
Cholesterol (mg): 71
Trans fatty acids (g): 0
Saturated fat (g): 3
Polyunsaturated fat (g): 5
Monounsaturated fat (g): 4
Fiber (g): 7
Carbohydrates (g): 27
Sugar (g): 8
Protein (g): 33
Sodium (mg): 351
Calcium (mg): 135

 

SEE ANITA'S WEBSITE! www.videofitnesscoach.com