Make: 10-Minute White Bean and Tomato Chicken Salad

Photo by Becca Boyd

A few weeks ago, I wrote a post on easy homemade salad dressings, and I mentioned that the Basic Vinaigrette is one that I use so often that the need for measuring is long forgotten. My family loves the flavor so much that it almost doesn’t matter what we toss it over—any dish we put it on instantly goes from being edible to being absolutely delicious.

Case in point: Though my very opinionated 3-year-old daughter had turned her nose up at the chopped tomatoes on her dinner plate just the night before, she happily noshed on a big dish of this chicken salad, chock-full of ripe farmers’ market tomatoes tossed with Basic Vinaigrette, the next day.

And speaking of tomatoes—did you know that the pulpy, seedy part is the most flavor-packed part of the tomato? After chopping the tomatoes for this dish up, scrape your cutting board into the bowl to get every last drop of flavor.

Now, to the recipe: Whether you’re going back to school this season or just settling into a new routine, fall can make dinnertime seem crunched. No need to call for takeout, though: You can have a mouth-watering (and uber-healthy) dinner on the table in just ten minutes with this salad. And cross your fingers there’s some leftover—the flavors are just as great, if not better, the next day.

Recipe: White Bean and Tomato Chicken Salad
Makes six servings

2 c. cooked and chopped skinless rotisserie chicken breast meat
2 c. chopped tomato
½ a red onion, thinly sliced
1/3 c. sliced fresh basil
2 15 ½ oz. cans white beans, rinsed and drained

Basic Vinaigrette Dressing
¼ c. balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp. olive oil
Juice of ½ a lemon
1 tbsp. Dijon mustard
1 tsp. honey
½ tsp. kosher salt
¼ tsp. black pepper
½ tsp. garlic powder

Method
1. Place chicken, tomato, onion, basil and beans in a large mixing bowl.

2. Whisk dressing ingredients in a small bowl or liquid measuring cup. Pour over ingredients in mixing bowl and gently stir to combine.

3. Serve with crusty bread or over salad greens. Can be served room temperature or cold.

Per serving: 487 Calories, 9.2 fat grams (including 1.9 grams saturated fat), 283 milligrams sodium, 2077 milligrams potassium, 65.1 grams carbs, 16.3 grams fiber, 4.9 grams sugar, 37.8 grams protein.