Green Goddess Chicken Salad

I have always loved chicken salad.  This chicken salad is a new twist on a classic.  It uses a green goddess dressing made with avocado, spinach, and basil.  It has a lot of flavor!  The original recipe from The Pretty Dish by Jessica Merchant placed the chicken salad in an open-faced sandwich.  However, I placed it on a beautiful piece of romaine lettuce.  The chicken salad would be great on gluten-free crackers, too.

Green Goddess Dressing--Makes 2 Servings

Ingredients:

• 1 avocado, pitted and peeled
• 1 cup fresh spinach
• 2/3 cup plain Greek yogurt (Note: The original recipe called for full fat or 2%.  I used nonfat.)
• 1/3 cup mayonnaise (Note:  I used Reduced Fat Vegenaise.)
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
• 1 tablespoons snipped fresh chives
• 1 cloves garlic
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• Salt and ground black pepper

Chicken and Sandwich:

• 1 cup shredded chicken breast
• 2 slices bread, toasted if desired (Note:  I used romaine lettuce instead of bread.)
• Fresh microgreens or arugula, for topping (Note:  I topped the chicken salad with snipped fresh chives.)

To Make the Green Goddess Dressing:

• In a food processor, combine the avocado, spinach, yogurt, mayonnaise, parsley, basil, chives, garlic, lemon juice, and salt and pepper to taste.  Blend until smooth.
• To make the chicken salad, in a bowl, toss the chicken with a few tablespooons of the green goddess dressing.  Extra chives could also be tossed into the chicken salad, too.  The amount of dressing that you will use will depend on how "wet" you like your chicken salad to be.
• To serve, scoope the salad on top of the bread or toast (I placed it on romaine) and top it with some fresh microgreens or arugula.

Ready to eat!

Great recipe for Spring!

This chicken salad is delicious!  It would be a great addition to anyone's Easter brunch.  I've lightened the chicken salad up by using nonfat plain Greek yogurt, reduced fat Vegenaise, and serving it on a piece of romaine lettuce.  Butter lettuce would work well, too.  All of the fresh herbs add to the flavor of the salad.  I hope you will try this chicken salad soon!  Enjoy!