Italian White Bean, Arugula & Bell Pepper Salad with Balsamic Chicken

Ingredients

• 5 oz baby arugula
• 15 oz cannellini beans (White kidney beans; drained and rinsed)
• 2 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs
• 1 pkg fresh basil (Small package; leaves picked from stems and sliced into ribbons)
• 2 cloves garlic (Peeled and minced)
• 1 bunch Italian parsley (Flat-leaf; leaves removed from stems and minced)
• 1 lemon (Juiced)
• 8 oz mozzarella cheese (Grated)
• 2 red bell peppers (Seeded and sliced into thin strips)
• 2 shallots (Peeled and minced)
• balsamic vinegar (For the dressing)
• black pepper (For the dressing)
• extra virgin olive oil (For the dressing and for coating the skillet)
• pure maple syrup (For the dressing)
• salt (For the dressing)

Steps

1. 1

   Wash and dry the fresh produce. Skip the arugula if it came pre-washed.

2. 2

   Peel and mince the garlic and shallots. Place both in a large salad bowl.

3. 3

   Juice the lemon into the bowl. Add the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, maple syrup, salt, and black pepper, then whisk to combine the dressing.

4. 4

   Preheat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.

5. 5

   Place the chicken thighs in a large bowl. Pour one-third of the dressing over the chicken and stir to coat. Set the salad bowl with the remaining dressing aside.

6. 6

   Once the skillet is hot, add olive oil and swirl to coat the bottom.

7. 7

   Working in batches if necessary, add the chicken to the skillet in a single layer and drizzle with the leftover marinade.

8. 8

   Cook the chicken until nicely browned and cooked through, 4–5 minutes per side. Transfer it to a plate and set aside to cool.

9. 9

   Meanwhile, drain and rinse the beans in a colander, then set them aside to drain further.

10. 10

    Seed the bell peppers and slice them into thin strips. Transfer them to the salad bowl with the dressing.

11. 11

    Pick the basil leaves off the stems, roll the leaves up crosswise, and thinly slice them into ribbons. Add the basil to the bowl.

12. 12

    Shave the parsley leaves off the stems, discard the stems, and mince the leaves. Add the parsley to the bowl.

13. 13

    Grate the mozzarella cheese and add it to the bowl.

14. 14

    Add the arugula and beans to the bowl and toss to combine the salad.

15. 15

    Slice the chicken into thin strips.

16. 16

    Divide the salad between plates or bowls and top with the sliced chicken. Serve immediately.

Notes

The source does not provide exact quantities for the dressing ingredients or skillet oil; add them according to taste and cooking needs. Chicken marinade is poured over raw chicken and should not be reused after contact with the raw meat.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• salad
• Italian-inspired
• high-protein
• gluten-free
• meal-prep
• skillet
• healthy