Recipe

Feta, Bean Medley & Chicken Salad

Prep Time: 20 min
Cook Time: 15 min
Serves: 8

Here’s a fresh and flavourful alternative to the usual bean salad made with canned yellow and green beans. It is a great way to get folks to eat raw vegetables like zucchini, and with only 8 grams of fat this a healthy lunch time winner.

Ingredients

2 tbsp (30 mL) olive oil
1/2 lb (0.3 kg) chicken breast(s), cut into 1/2 inch (2.5 cm) chunks
3 tbsp (45 mL) red wine vinegar
1 can bean medley (mix of kidney beans, chickpeas, romano beans and black eyed peas), drained and rinsed
2 cups (500 mL) cherry tomatoes, cut in quarters
2 green onion(s), medium, sliced
2 cups (500 mL) zucchini, chopped
1 red pepper(s), chopped
1/2 cup (125 mL) feta cheese, crumbled
2 tbsp (30 mL) oregano, fresh, minced
1/4 cup (60 mL) parsley, fresh, minced
1/2 tsp (2.5 mL) black pepper, freshly ground

Instructions

1 Heat 1 tablespoon (15 mL) of olive oil over medium heat in a skillet. Cut the chicken into ½ inch (1.25 cm) chunks. Add to the pan and sauté, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned and cooked through.
2 Pour remaining tablespoon (15 mL) of olive oil and the red wine vinegar over chicken. Stir and scrape bottom of pan. Remove pan from heat and set aside to cool.
3 Rinse the beans under cold running water and leave to drain. Add drained beans to large bowl.
4 Prepare salad vegetables. Quarter cherry tomatoes, slice green onions (whites and part of greens), dice zucchini and red pepper. The size is up to you but should suit eating with a fork. Add to salad bowl and mix well.
5 Stir in the warm chicken and all the pan juices and toss.
6 Top with crumbled feta, minced fresh oregano & parsley and freshly ground black pepper and toss. Place in the refrigerator for at least a half hour for flavours to mingle.