Recipe: Roast Chicken Waldorf Salad with Lemon Dressing (using fennel, lettuce and nuts)

ROAST CHICKEN WALDORF SALAD

"Fennel and toasted nuts give a new twist to this salad with creamy dressing. Instead of waiting for leftovers from a roast chicken, you can make it using a barbecued breast from the store."

FOR THE SALAD:
2/3 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
2 cups diced roast chicken breast (8 ounces)
1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored, and cut in 3/4-inch cubes
2 wild fennel bulbs, or 1/4 medium fennel bulb, chopped*
6 cups shredded red leaf, romaine, or Boston lettuce, or any combination

FOR THE DRESSING:
2 tablespoons low-fat whipped dressing (like Miracle Whip)
Juice of 1 lemon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
Pinch of cayenne pepper

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spread the nuts in 1 layer on a baking sheet. Toast until they are fragrant and lightly colored, 10 minutes, stirring after 3 minutes and again after 6 minutes so they toast evenly. Set the nuts aside to cool.

In a mixing bowl, combine the chicken, apple, fennel, and nuts.

For the dressing, in a small bowl, whisk together the whipped dressing, lemon juice, salt, black pepper, and red pepper, adjusting the seasoning to taste. Pour the dressing over the chicken mixture, tossing until the salad is evenly coated.

To serve, divide the lettuce among 4 dinner plates and mound the chicken salad equally over the greens.

*Wild fennel bulbs are long and slim. You can find them at an increasing number of supermarkets as well as farmers' markets, particularly during the summer and fall. They should be thinly sliced, as they are crunchier (some would say tougher) than the bulbous fennel we are used to. They also have a more pronounced anise flavor.

Makes 4 servings

Per serving: 279 calories, 16 g fat, 2 g saturated fat, 22 g protein, 16 g carbohydrates, 5 g fiber

Source: 12 Best Foods Cookbook by Dana Jacobi