Salads are one of the best things that one can include in their meal times when trying to lead a healthier lifestyle.
For a healthy diet, having the right amounts of protein, fats, carbs, and other essentials is vital.
A chicken salad is considered to be one of the best meals that one indulge in when trying to have the right proportions is their meals.
This particular dish contains a mix of protein, greens, carbs and the vitamins and minerals which can all be incredibly beneficial for the body.
Also, it is safe to freeze chicken salad as long as you follow our tips below…
Chicken Salad – An Easy And Healthy Meal
There are several benefits that one gets when they indulge in this particular meal.
Because it contains everything that the body would need, this is considered to be one of the best complete meals that one could have on a daily basis.
There are numerous ways in which a chicken salad can be made, and these can add a good amount of variety to your meals.
Protein
Protein is one of the essential components that the body needs, especially when trying to get into shape.
The body uses the protein that it gets to fuel its muscles and other parts of the body, while also contributing to muscle wear and tear.
This is one of the basic reasons why people who are involved in sports tend to have a higher amount of protein in their diet.
Just one bowl of chicken salad usually contains enough protein that you are supposed to eat per meal, which is why this is such a healthy option to go in for.
A lot of people tend to like having an increased amount of protein in their salads by adding a certain amount of egg or fish to their meals.
While this isn’t always needed, it is something that can increase the protein intake in your body.
Those who are involved in any kind of physical exercise as well prefer having more meat and protein in their diet because it helps them improve their muscle definition and their overall workout efficiency.
Vegetables
The vegetables that are in this dish form the second reason why this is such a good dish to have on a regular basis.
Normally, people like to make their protein as one dish, and their vegetables in a second dish.
Preparing two different dishes for just one meal can sometimes be tiresome, especially if one leads a rather busy schedule and doesn’t have much time to dedicate to cooking.
Having vegetables in your diet is essential for several reasons.
For one, it provides your body with the fiber that it needs.
A lot of times, people don’t realize the large role that fiber and the roughage attained from these vegetables provides them with.
Not having the right amount of vegetables in one’s diet can lead to a list of digestive problems that are hard to work around.(1)
This can lead to further complications, which can all easily be avoided with a simple inclusion of vegetables in one’s diet.
A chicken salad usually has a good mix of green leafy vegetables like spinach, lettuce, kale, and any other preferred choice.
Some people even like putting additional vegetables in their meals such as broccoli, corn, carrots, and several others, which can provide even more benefits to the person eating them.
Carbs
Unless you are on a keto diet, having a certain amount of carbs in your food is essential for a healthy and balanced diet.
Carbs aren’t always added to a chicken salad, though they are still a healthy option.
Some people choose to put croutons and other kinds of carbs in their salads, thereby increasing its overall nutritional value.
Vitamins And Minerals
Because of how versatile a chicken salad tends to be, there are a lot of additional nutrients that one can attain along with this.
Vitamins and minerals are easily available through all of the vegetables and fruits that are often added to this kind of salad, and more often than not, these may be incredibly beneficial for the body.
Having a healthy amount of greens and fruits is always beneficial for someone who wants to lead a healthy lifestyle and can often limit the number of supplements that one needs to take to maintain all of the body’s essential processes.
Not getting the right kind of nutrients that one needs always results in further complications, and having something like a healthy chicken salad can be the best way to get everything that one would need.
The Life Span Of A Chicken Salad
Even though salads taste best when they are freshly cooked, not everyone has the luxury of prepping their meals fresh every day.
Sometimes, with the busy lives that we lead, the only option left is to prepare a few meals at the beginning of the week and heat them over the next few days.
Because of the ingredients that are present in a chicken salad, it is incredibly easy to cook it up and save it for the next few days.
On average, a chicken salad can be kept for three to four days, but only if it is kept refrigerated! It is essential to store the salad properly to ensure that it stays fresh for a longer period.
Storing it in an airtight container that is refrigerator friendly is the best option when trying to maintain the freshness of your products and to ensure that they stay good for the next few days.
Can I freeze chicken salad?
YES!
Freezing chicken salad is also an option for those who want to keep this dish fresher for longer.
While this said may only last for three days when kept in the refrigerator, it can last for a significantly longer period when it is frozen cold.
By freezing this, the meat and the vegetables can last for even longer.
However, it is important to note the impact that freezing something like a chicken salad would have;
For one, freezing would take a toll on the nutritional value of the vegetables in this salad. The vegetables are bound to experience a certain amount of shrinkage as a result of the freezing, but this is still something that can keep them fresh and edible.
The meat in the chicken salad will remain relatively unchanged as a result of the freezer and can retain its nutritional value and freshness.
TIPS:
- don’t use mayonnaise, yogurt or dressing in salads that you plan to freeze (add it after thawing)
- freeze your salad on the same day when you made it
- use refrigerator first to cool your salad
- use freezer bags for storage
- don’t forget to label your food before storage
- chicken salad should not be frozen for more than three months
Homemade Chicken Salad Recipies
Now that you are familiar with all the benefits that a chicken salad can provide, the next step is to familiarize yourself with a few chicken salad recipes.
Here are a few variations of this classic that you can try out and store to eat through the week.
1# Classic Chicken Salad
Ingredients:
- 3 chicken breasts
- 1/2 red onion
- 2 celery stalks
- 2/3 c. mayonnaise
- 2 tbsp. lemon juice
- salt
- black pepper
Directions:
- Cook the chicken lightly for ten to fifteen minutes and cut it into small pieces
- Chop the red onion and celery and mix it in a bowl with the chicken
- Mix the mayonnaise and lemon juice together and add salt
- Add some garnish, and your dish is ready
2# Southwestern Chicken Salad
Ingredients:
- 2 chicken breasts
- loose corn
- 1/2 avocado
- 1/2 onion
- 1 tomato
- 1 cup beans
- lettuce leaves
- cheddar cheese
- spicy salad dressing
Directions:
- Cook the chicken in a pan for 10 to 15 minutes and shred it up
- Chop the onion, avocado, tomato and lettuce leaves and place it in a bowl
- Add the chicken and boiled beans and boiled corn to the mix
- Mix it with some spicy salad dressing, or add it just before you eat
- Top it off with cheddar cheese
3# Chicken Pecan Salad
Ingredients:
- 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1/2 cups halved red grapes
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans
- 1/3 green onions
- 1/2 cup plain greek yogurt
- 1/2 cup mayo
- 1/4 cup dijon mustard
- dried sage
- smoked paprika
- garlic powder
- fresh lemon juice
- salt
- Pepper
Directions:
- Cook and shred the chicken and add it to a bowl with chopped grapes, pecans, and onions.
- Mix the yogurt, mayonnaise, mustard, sage, and paprika in a separate bowl. Mix it well
- Add the dressing to the chicken mix and stir them all together
- Add salt and pepper, and your dish is ready to eat
4# Chicken Avocado and Mango Salad
Ingredients:
- 2 chicken breasts
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- fresh lime juice
- mango chutney
- soy sauce
- fresh ginger
- choice of greens
- mango
- avocado
Directions:
- In a pan, heat the oil, lime juice, chutney, soy sauce, and ginger and place the chicken breasts on top of it
- Let it stay in the pan for ten to fifteen minutes and shred the chicken
- Place the chicken in a bowl and add greens, chopped mango, and avocado
- Mix them well together and add some salad dressing and soy sauce to top it off
In Conclusion – Can You Freeze Chicken Salad? YES!
It is perfectly safe to freeze chicken salad!
Also, as you can see, there are numerous ways in which chicken salad can be made, which gives you ample choices for meals during the week.
Since each of these can fit well with one another, adding a little more to your standard chicken salad can turn this into something entirely different and delicious!
If you are planning to switch to a healthier diet and want something that would help you stay on track, this is something that you should go in for.
Always remember to use fresh vegetables and meat in your dish to ensure that it stays good for longer, and gives you the most nutritional value out of your meals.
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