Monday, October 17, 2016

Chicken Broccoli Salad with Oranges and Pomegranate Seeds

Chicken Broccoli Salad with Oranges and Pomegranate Seeds

Fall in the desert looks pretty much like summer in the desert. The big difference is that the days and nights stay under 100 degrees. Morning walks find us in seventy degree weather and that is quite pleasant. It’s the afternoons temperatures that are still a little tough.

Lego Polar Bear Family
I’ve had the most wonderful week with my grandsons. We went to a park every morning except for the day we went to the Phoenix zoo, they had a really fun lego event (see above pic). Throughout the week we played basketball, soccer, 2 square, video and board games and completed a few art projects. The day they left I went to bed at 7:15pm and slept 10 hours. Phew!

The Joybus Diner
It’s interesting how many changes occured in our neighborhood this summer. Besides the customary new neighbors, a large saguaro that housed many birds fell down during a monsoon storm. There was also a new gourmet burger place and a rock climbing gym. My favorite new business by far is the Joybus Diner. They serve breakfast and lunch. The food is simple, nothing too fancy, but delicious. All proceeds are donated to their non-profit which is an organization that serves free healthy meals and a “friendly face” to cancer patients. Volunteers deliver meals and work in the restaurant; it's a beautiful concept.

Anyway, it’s nice to be back, I think you are going to like this salad, it’s crunchy and sweet and full of little surprises. The dressing is bright and citrusy with tahini and white vinegar and there is no salad or olive oil of any kind. Enjoy!


yield: 4 to 6 as a main dishprint recipe

Chicken Broccoli Salad with Oranges Slices and Pomegranate Seeds

prep time: 30 MINScook time: total time: 30 mins
This hearty fall salad will make a healthy and delicious meal choice while enjoying the cooler weather.

INGREDIENTS:

Main Salad:
  • 1 small head romaine, cleaned and chopped
  • 2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
  • 2 cups broccoli, cut into small florets
  • 2 oranges, peeled and divided into segments
  • ½ avocado, cubed
  • 1/2 cup pomegranate seeds
  • ¼ cup sunflower seeds
Dressing
  • 2 to 3 tablespoons of orange juice
  • ½ teaspoon orange zest
  • 2 tablespoons tahini paste
  • 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon honey

INSTRUCTIONS:

Dressing
  1. For a mixing container I use a ½ to a pint canning jar, depending on quantity. Combine ingredients and shake. (Can refrigerate up to 5 days).
  2. To assemble salad, layer romaine, chicken, broccoli, orange segments, pomegranate seeds, sunflower seeds and avocado. Dress and toss with dressing.
Created using The Recipes Generator
Cheri Savory Spoon
Cheri Savory Spoon

Mysavoryspoon was first started in 2010 as a way to journal recipes that I had collected from cookbooks, magazines, family and friends. Most everything was savory, using legumes and whole grains. Along the way I discovered a love for baking. Now a couple times a month you might see some type of sweet pie or treat.

62 comments:

  1. Crunchy, fresh and so good for you too. I would love this salad!

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    1. Thanks Angie, loving all the fall flavors right now.

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  2. Cheri:
    I'm glad you're setting back in to life in Phoenix. What a special treat to have time with your grandchildren. I love the concept of the new restaurant in town. Amazing generosity. And your salad looks delicious.

    Thank you so much.

    D

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    1. Thanks Dena, playing catch-up today, was a little behind. Loved your fall photos. Take care!

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  3. Love the sound of this salad Cheri, looks like a perfect fall salad :)

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  4. I love this lovely salad. It looks delicious, healthy and yummy. A perfect salad. :)

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  5. This is my kind of salad -- it's loaded with so much goodness! I love all the colors and textures!

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  6. This is my kind of salad -- it's loaded with so much goodness! I love all the colors and textures!

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  7. LOL Little ones do remind me to stay in wonder...And I am in awe of your scrumptious salad sans oil and only tahini and citrus brighteners! Fascinated by the Phoenix Lego Polar Bear too =)

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    1. Thanks Kim, yes they certainly kept me busy.They loved the lego exhibit. The polar bear was their favorite.

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  8. Grandbabies sure are fun but they sure do wear you out! You're so lucky to be able to spend time with them. :) Love this salad with all of the fresh and crunchy surprises. It's been getting cooler here in VA, but we had an unseasonably warm 80 degrees today. This salad would taste really good right now!

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    1. Thanks Betty, I bet the trees are beautiful where you live this time of year. Take care!

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  9. No olive oil? Of course, with tahini there's no need. Delicious salad, particularly with orange segments. I'll avoid the pomegranate seeds - dental probs. :)
    Your blog is looking so good!

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    1. Thanks Johhny, appreciate you stopping by. Hope you are having a great week.

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  10. The dressing sounds great as does all the wonderful ingredients in that salad! I relate to the busy grandson(s). One day and I'm done! Haha. The lego bear is pretty amazing! What a fun visit.

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    1. Thanks Tricia, it was a pretty amazing exhibit, the polar bears were their favorite.

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  11. oh, that lego sculpture is amazing!

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  12. Welcome back, Cheri! What a fun week with your grandkids. I can see why you were tired after they left, though! :) The Joybus Diner sounds like such a neat place. What a great idea. Your salad is so pretty! I love the colors and the dressing. Such an interesting idea to use tahini instead of oil. I want to give it a try.

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    1. Thanks Shari, it is nice to be back. The mornings are so pretty and cool now, love it.

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  13. Welcome back Cheri! Wow I would want to sleep 10 hours too! So much activity. Loving the tahini in this salad light and lovely and delicious. I have a pomegranate sitting on my kitchen counter right now..looks like you have given me the perfect recipe to use it in...

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    1. Thanks Bobbi! growing up my grandma used to have a pomegranate tree in her backyard and I would not have anything to do with them, hard to believe now.

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  14. I can well imagine you needed all that sleep. The diner sounds like a place I would support. I like the salad dressing Cheri. Always great to try something new.

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  15. You always look at things with new eyes when you've been away, don't you? And you've been busy, grandkids can be exhausting!
    Your salad is so pretty. Love the pomegranate seeds in it and your vinaigrette sounds delicious with the citrus and tahini. Have a great week!

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    Replies
    1. You are so right Barbara, could not have said it better. Thanks!

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  16. What a lovely looking salad platter, Cherri. All those pomegranate seeds look like little jewels on top.Chicken and broccoli sounds like a great pairing. And addition of orange slices sounds good.

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    1. Thanks Anu, pomegranate seeds are like little jewels, love them.

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  17. So nice to hear you had a great time with your grandkids and sounds like you are settling back in. I can't imagine life in the desert right now as I look out the window at the foliage and I feel that chill in the air. That said, I could try to feel that lovely summer vibe with this salad. It looks delicious and easy to put together. I love the oranges...when I was a kid, I thought that was a weird add to salads but now I know fruit is so right in salads. : )

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    1. Thanks Monica, we never had fruit in our salads growing up, they were always lettuce and tomato. Love fruit in salads now.

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  18. Whew Cheri, your day with the grandkids sounds like awesome fun but oh so exhausting! I had to laugh after your remark on how long you slept afterward! Your salad looks spectacular, what a lovely combination. I love using both oranges and pomegranate seeds in salads (including grains) as they really add a colorful touch and a nice flavor to dishes. Very lovely.

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    1. Thanks Peggy, I was thinking about adding quinoa to the salad but decided against it, still tired I guess, lol.

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  19. So glad to hear you are settling back in nicely!! And this salad sounds just wonderful - it's so pretty with those colors!

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    1. Thanks Ashley, nothing like a salad to help get things back to normal.

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  20. Yum, so full of colors and so healthy, I love this:)

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  21. I'm not sure I could handle that heat in fall hahaha. I thought it was bad today that we are in the 70s in October - it's crazy warm! I love the looks of this salad.

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    1. I know it was 91 today, ugh...ready for cooler weather. thanks Amy.

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  22. This would be perfect for dinner tonight---we're having an August-like day!! I just bought my first pomegranate of the season, too. Maybe it's a sign I need to make this!!

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    1. Thanks Liz, love the sweetness that pomegranates bring to a dish, we are still having warm weather here in the desert.

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  23. Awesome salad Cheri, I love the pomegranate and sunflower seeds...great variety of textures, and the dressing sounds delicious!
    Have a great week :)

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    1. Thanks Juliana, loving all these fall flavors. Take care!

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  24. It's so wonderful spending great time with grandkids, Cheri.
    The colourful salad looks great too.
    Enjoy your days !

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  25. It's so nice that you get to split your time between two places with distinctly different climate and scenery. Must be very invigorating! Anyway, what a neat dish -- just loaded with flavor. Thanks!

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  26. Looks like I'm going to have a new favorite lunch salad to enjoy! I LOVE salads with broccoli! Yum!

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    1. broccoli is my favorite veggie too, take care Pamela.

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  27. This sounds so good! And, a salad you can feel good about eating!

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  28. Thanks for reminding me how good citrus is in a salad! Love the concept of the diner and your exhaustion after having your grandkids made me smile. You are making wonderful memories with them.

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    1. Hi Mindy, I enjoy every moment with them they are so much fun. Have a great week!

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  29. Yummy, my favorite foods. What a great recipe to make on the weekends or even with leftover chicken. Thank you for sharing at Dishing it and Digging it link party. Hope to see you this Sunday. Have a great weekend.

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  30. A fabulous salad with a great zesty dressing, Cheri! The new restaurant looks like fun and love the concept. Wouldn't it be great if there were more businesses like this? Sounds like the grandsons were a blast! Have a great weekend :)

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  31. This salad is a great way to start your time back in the desert! We had the Lego exhibit in our Botanical Gardens in Tucson and it was fun - but no polar bears or us! :(

    Our weather in Tucson has been perfect lately, so that means yours is coming soon!

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  32. beautiful, delicious, and healthy salad! i LOVE legos, as a kid and still today, but i never achieved anything quite like that polar bear family... :)

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