Chicken Salad Poke Bowl

Lunch in under 5mins

Chicken salads are quick and easy lunches to make on the go in between meetings or juggling children (this is my life!).  As a parent, I won’t attempt a recipe unless it takes under 15 mins to make and doesn’t require a million herbs, spices and condiments.  This chicken salad poke bowl recipe is super quick to make, it requires 4 whole foods and Table of Plenty Dukkah for flavour.

Ingredients

Chicken Breast

  • The breast is the leanest part of a chicken and contains the highest amounts of protein.  In our house we grill 500g of chicken every few days and then distribute this across lunches, dinners and sometimes afternoon post-workout snacks.
  • Chicken breast also contains, zinc, iron and vitamin B6 which is essential for the production of new healthy red blood cells and immune cells.
  • An alternative to chicken breast could be grilled tofu or halloumi.

Couscous

  • Couscous is one of those awesome carbohydrate sources, it takes very little effort to cook and it tends to come in recyclable cardboard packaging, unlike rice, unfortunately.
  • To cook couscous, all you need is a mug and boiling water.  Simply fill a mug with a third of a cup of couscous and then add boiling water to just cover the top of the couscous.  Leave it for 4mins to cook and soak, then serve.
  • Couscous is a good source of dietary fibre and plant based protein, however, it is not a complete protein source and does require a legume to make a complete protein meal if you are not including chicken or tofu in this recipe.

Soya beans

  • Soya beans are the bean that tofu is made out of, they are very versatile and add a kick of protein and healthy fat to a salad.  All they need is to be microwaved for 90sec to cook from frozen, this can be done whilst the couscous is being made.
  • Soya products have been linked to a reduction in menopausal symptoms, PMS, PCOS symptoms as they contain plant-based sterols and strong antioxidant properties, plus they taste great.

Spinach

  • If you search for ‘spinach nutrition’ on google you will find a million articles on it’s benefits.  It contains a vast variety of vitamins and minerals including vitamins C, K, B1, B2, E also minerals magnesium, potassium, calcium and dietary fibre.
  • The other benefit that spinach has is that it’s a great canvas for flavour and adds texture and colour to a salad.  However always wash your spinach leaves before use to reduce any fertilisers or pesticides that may be left over from the field.

Flavour

  • To add a kick of flavour to our chicken salad poke bowl we have used Table of Plenty’s lemon and herb dukkah, which has a whole cocktail of different flavours in it which amplifies the taste of chicken.  This can be added after the chicken has been cooked or during.  A lot of herb and spice mixes are high in sodium 1000mg+, Table of Plenty’s is below <350mg, but a little of the Dukkah goes a long way.
  • To finish the dish off I have used 2 tsp of honey balsamic vinegar which adds a touch of moisture and sweetness.

Recipe

Ingredients:

  • 150g of chicken
  • 1/3 cup of uncooked couscous
  • 1 cup of spinach leaves.
  • 1/2 cup of soya beans
  • 2 tsp of Dukkah
  • 2 tsp of honey balsamic vinegar.

Method

  1. Cook the chicken on a grill or frying pan with 2 tsp of dukkah sprinkled on top.  Cook until brown.
  2. Pour 1/3 cup of couscous into a mug and cover with boiling water, leave for 4mins.
  3. Cook 1/2 cup of soya beans in the microwave for 90 secs.
  4. Wash spinach and then add everything to the bowl, finish with 2 tsp of honey balsamic vinegar to finish.

Chicken salad poke bowl
Posted by Luke Daley, Registered Nutritionist, Msc, BSc (Hons)
Director and Founder of Daley Nutrition