Recipe: A Salad Born of Necessity... Chicken, Tomato and Bean Salad

Recipe: A Salad Born of Necessity… Chicken, Tomato and…

March 27, 2017May 8, 2017
by Jacqueline Whitehart

On Thursday, I got the distinct impression that my fridge had turned against me!

I went in there looking for the ingredients to make a simple salad and found that the lettuce had turned into that mushy inedible green stuff AND someone had eaten all the cucumber.

So I was left with tomatoes and some uninspiring cooked chicken (you know the supermarket cooked chicken that is never as nice as when you cook it yourself).

I despaired for a good few minutes but then hunger got the better of me and I realised I had to work with what I had!

I ended up making this rather inspiring Chicken, Tomato and Bean Salad. It tasted absolutely delicious and was just what I needed.

It’s amazing what a delicious and filling salad a can of beans can make. I like the creamy butterbeans or cannelini beans as they look great in a salad. I also had some wilting coriander (cilantro) on my windowsill which jazzed it up no end.

UPDATE: I made two portions worth (always my default so I can use a whole can of beans) and the next day it was even nicer!

Chicken, Tomato & Bean Salad

296 calories
SERVES 2 • READY IN 5 MINUTES

1 x 400g (14oz) can butter (fava) beans, rinsed and drained (254 cals)
3 large ripe tomatoes, roughly chopped (66 cals)
handful coriander (cilantro) leaves, roughly chopped
salt and pepper
juice half a lemon (2 cals)
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (99 cals)
1 tsp balsamic vinegar (1 cal)
150g (5oz) cooked chicken, finely chopped (170 cals)

• Place the butter (fava) beans in a mixing bowl and add the chopped tomatoes and coriander. Give them a stir before seasoning with salt and pepper, squeezing in the juice of a lemon and adding olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Give this a little stir and if you can leave to rest for a few minutes.
• Meanwhile, chop or shred the chicken. Stir the chicken into the salad and serve.
• This salad will keep happily in the fridge for one day.

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