Grilled Chicken Salad with Sun-Dried Tomatoes
No stove. No oven. Nothing that needs more than a cutting board and five minutes.
Grilled chicken, sun-dried tomatoes, and pumpkin seeds over spinach, dressed with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and mustard. Served with whole wheat bread. That is 698 kcal and 45g of protein from a salad that never saw heat.
The sun-dried tomatoes earn their spot beyond flavor. Research found they deliver 58% lycopene bioaccessibility compared to 28.67% from fresh tomatoes, and the olive oil in the dressing provides the fat carrier that makes absorption happen.
Ingredients
- cucumber 0.5
- grilled chicken strips 3 ounces
- olive oil 1 tablespoon
- balsamic vinegar 0.5 tablespoon
- yellow mustard 1 teaspoon
- spinach 1 handful
- sun-dried tomatoes 5 pieces
- pumpkin seeds 1 ounce
- bread, whole wheat 2 slices
Method
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Slice the cucumber and cut the grilled chicken into smaller pieces if you like.
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Mix a dressing with the oil, vinegar and mustard in a small bowl.
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Place the spinach in a bowl and add the cucumber, grilled chicken and sun-dried tomatoes.
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Pour the dressing over the salad and toss everything together. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
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Finally, sprinkle the pumpkin seeds on top and serve with the (toasted) bread.
Toast the pumpkin seeds in a dry pan for two minutes before sprinkling them on top. The heat opens up their nutty flavor and adds a crunch that holds up against the softer sun-dried tomatoes.
The drying process is what makes it work. Heat breaks down the tomato's cell walls and frees the lycopene from the tissue. Then your stomach acid finishes the job, releasing even more from the concentrated structure. Fresh tomatoes don't get this second release.
Karakaya & Yilmaz, 2007 · DOIBehind this recipe
Can I use regular tomatoes instead of sun-dried?
You can, but the nutrition profile shifts. Research by Karakaya and Yilmaz found sun-dried tomatoes deliver 58% lycopene bioaccessibility compared to just 28.67% for fresh tomatoes. The drying process breaks down cell walls and concentrates the lycopene, and your stomach acid provides a secondary release that fresh tomatoes don't get. The salad still works with fresh tomatoes, but you lose that absorption advantage.
Is 41g of fat too much for a healthy meal?
The fat in this salad comes almost entirely from unsaturated sources: olive oil (monounsaturated) and pumpkin seeds (polyunsaturated). Research on fat and body composition has consistently found that total energy balance determines fat gain, not fat intake itself. At 698 kcal, this salad fits comfortably within most daily targets.
How does a salad have 45g of protein?
It adds up from multiple sources. The grilled chicken provides the base, pumpkin seeds contribute around 8–9g per ounce, and even the whole wheat bread adds a few grams. Research has found your body can use significantly more than 30g of protein per meal, so there is no absorption ceiling to worry about.
Can I prep this salad ahead of time?
Yes. Assemble everything except the dressing in a sealed container. Keep the olive oil-balsamic dressing separate and pour it on when you are ready to eat. The spinach stays crisp, and the sun-dried tomatoes hold their texture well. Good for up to 24 hours in the fridge.
