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By Erika Guzman a Recent ASU Nutrition Student

There always seems to be a small container of leftover chicken from the previous day (or two), and it never really moves until you have to throw it away. Rotisserie chicken can be a dinner lifesaver, but there’s always leftovers. It stares at you and you don’t really know how to use it; it’s already cooked and seasoned, and the easiest way to eat it is nuking it in the microwave, but it’s bland.

Why not make a salad? Not just the leafy greens type, but a flavorful, sweet and crunchy salad that tastes good, like an apple and carrot salad? An apple and carrot salad is fun, crunchy, and sweet and accents the flavors of the juicy chicken, and if it wasn’t for my groceries starting to go bad, I honestly would have never thought this combination would be so tasty!

Ingredients:

• ¼ lb leftover chicken, shredded or cubed
• 1 apple, grated or julienned (Honeycrisp, Gala, or Fuji works best, but in seasons are great too!)
• 1 large carrot, peeled, grated or julienned
• 2 stalks green onions, sliced thinly
• ½ red bell pepper, julienned
• ½ lemon, juiced
• Salt and pepper to taste

Balsamic Vinaigrette:

I personally like a stronger balsamic flavor, so I do a 2:1 ratio of oil and vinegar, but if you just like to drizzle it or eyeball it on the dish, that’s perfectly fine!

• ½ cup virgin or extra-virgin olive oil
• ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
• Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
• Optional: red pepper flakes to taste

Directions:

Balsamic Vinaigrette

1. In a bowl, combine vinegar, salt, and pepper, and whisk.
2. Very slowly, while whisking, gradually add the oil to combine it without it breaking or separating.
3. Set aside until ready to use. When you do use it, make sure to whisk it again to make sure everything is combined.

Salad:

1. In a micro safe bowl, heat up the leftover chicken for about a minute to 2 minutes. To keep from drying out, add a small, microwave safe-cup of water into the microwave with the chicken.
2. In a serving dish or bowl, combine the fruits and vegetables, salt and pepper, and the lemon juice. Toss the salad.
3. Once the chicken is finished, shred or cube it and add it to the salad. Drizzle the balsamic vinaigrette and toss.

1. Serve and enjoy as a light meal, perfect for on the go or counting calories!

For more recipes like this one check out our recipe section. Check out the produce section to find out what produce is in season.