30-Minute Chicken and Zucchini Salad with Polenta Croutons
This easy Chicken and Zucchini Salad is ready in less than 30 minutes and hearty enough for dinner. It's topped with tasty seasoned polenta, sauteed zucchini, shredded chicken, and a homemade zesty vinaigrette.
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 1697kcal
Ingredients
- 5 cups (3 ½ oz) baby mixed greens or baby arugula
- 1 ¾ cups cooked chicken breast, shredded from 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts or rotisserie chicken
- ⅓ cup (3 oz) crumbled bleu cheese if desired
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano can substitute ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 3 ½ tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil DIVIDED
- 2 medium zucchini
- 8 ounces prepared polenta cut into ¾-inch cubes, Note: use half of a 16-ounce package
Instructions
- Prepare the lettuce, cooked shredded chicken, and blue cheese crumbles. Set aside for salad assembly.
- Make the vinaigrette by whisking together the vinegar, oregano, sugar, salt, and 3 tablespoons olive oil. Set aside.
- Cut zucchini in half lengthwise, then on the bias into ¼-inch slices and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Heat remaining ½ tablespoon olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over high heat and add zucchini. Cook, stirring, until just golden, about 2 minutes. Remove zucchini.
- Reduce heat to medium and add polenta to skillet. Cook, stirring, until just heated through, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat.
- Place the greens, shredded chicken, and sauteed zucchini and polenta in a large bowl. Toss with half the vinaigrette.
- Arrange the salad on a platter and sprinkle with blue cheese. Serve with remaining vinaigrette.
Notes
Save time by cooking the chicken a day ahead, or use a rotisserie chicken; simply heat it up on the skillet when you're ready to serve.
Nutrition
Calories: 1697kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 251g | Fat: 60g | Saturated Fat: 17g | Cholesterol: 699mg | Sodium: 1009mg | Potassium: 4515mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 905IU | Vitamin C: 29.1mg | Calcium: 160mg | Iron: 7.3mg
