Easy dinner recipes: Chicken chopped salad in an hour or less

Looking for something crisp and refreshing? Not overly heavy and easy to prepare? Salads are the perfect one-dish meal any time of year.

Bluewater Grill’s chicken chopped salad: Consider a chicken chopped salad with avocado vinaigrette. Avocado lends richness to the dressing, which blends fresh lime juice, a touch of Champagne vinegar, cilantro and green onions and is a bright and tangy addition to any salad. Find it in Bluewater Grill’s recipe for chicken chopped salad.

Lunch’s green apple chicken salad: Lunch’s chicken salad is a deliciously simple dish. It combines diced chicken with a little red onion, celery, currants and apple for a nice crunch, great color and a wonderfully fresh combination of flavors not unlike a classic Waldorf. And it’s just as easy to prepare.

Nordstrom’s chicken, apple and goat cheese salad: Both tart fresh apple slices and dried apple chips flavor this salad, also tossed with sliced onion, lightly spiced candied almonds, julienned strips of chicken and creamy goat cheese. The salad is tossed with a bright Champagne vinaigrette. The whole recipe, including the candied almonds, comes together in about an hour, and you can find it below.

NORDSTROM’S CHICKEN, APPLE AND GOAT CHEESE SALAD

Total time: 1 hour, plus cooling time for the almonds | Serves 4

Note: Adapted from a recipe from Nordstrom.

SPICED CANDIED ALMONDS

1 tablespoon egg white (about 1/2 egg white)

1/2 cup light brown sugar

1/2 pound blanched almond slivers

1 tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Pinch ground cayenne pepper

1. Heat the oven to 300 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, whisk the egg white until frothy, then whisk in the brown sugar until the sugar is moist. Add the almonds, tossing to evenly coat.

2. Spread the almonds into a single, evenly spaced layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Toast the almonds until they are golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes.

3. While the almonds are toasting, in a small bowl combine the sugar, cinnamon and cayenne pepper.

4. When the almonds are done, immediately sprinkle over the spice mixture, using a spatula to toss the hot almonds with the spices until evenly coated. Set the almonds aside to cool completely before using. This makes a generous 2 cups spiced candied almonds, more than is needed for the remainder of the recipe; the almonds will keep, sealed in an airtight container, at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.

CHAMPAGNE VINAIGRETTE

2 tablespoons minced shallots

1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

2 tablespoons sugar

3/4 teaspoon minced garlic

1/4 cup Champagne vinegar

1/4 teaspoon plus 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

Generous 1/8 teaspoon ground white pepper

3/4 cup canola oil

In the bowl of a blender, beat together the shallots, mustard, sugar, garlic, vinegar, salt and pepper. Slowly blend in the oil to form a creamy vinaigrette. Taste and adjust the seasonings if desired. This makes a generous cup of vinaigrette, which will keep, covered and refrigerated, 3 to 5 days.

CHICKEN, APPLE AND GOAT CHEESE SALAD

1/3 cup Champagne vinaigrette, more to taste

8 to 10 cups (10 ounces) mixed greens

4 ounces sliced tart apple, preferably Granny Smith

1 cup spiced candied almonds, divided

6 ounces goat cheese, divided

1/4 red onion, sliced into thin half-rings

3 ounces dried apple “chips”

12 ounces cooked chicken, cut into strips

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1. In a large bowl, combine one-third cup vinaigrette and the mixed greens, apple slices, one-half of the spiced candied almonds, one-half of the goat cheese (added in small dollops), the red onion, apple chips and chicken. Gently toss together, adding additional dressing as needed and seasoning to taste with salt and pepper.

2. Divide the salad among 4 plates. Garnish each serving with the remaining spiced candied almonds and goat cheese, sprinkling the almonds over the salad and adding the cheese in small dollops. Serve immediately.

Each serving: 854 calories; 38 grams protein; 48 grams carbohydrates; 7 grams fiber; 59 grams fat; 14 grams saturated fat; 97 mg cholesterol; 24 grams sugar; 384 mg sodium.

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