Bulgur salad with grilled chicken

Adapted from http://www.nutritionaction.com/daily/healthy-recipes/healthy-recipes-make-this-hearty-delicious-salad-tonight/?mqsc=E3788748&utm_source=WhatCountsEmail&utm_medium=Nutrition_Action_Daily_Tips+Nutrition%20Action%20Daily&utm_campaign=2015.02.13%20Daily%20Tip:%20Healthy%20Recipes

I love the taste of arugula, but if it's too peppery for you, use baby spinach instead or use them in combination.  The salad dressing was particularly good on the avocado and scallions.  It's a mild citrusy dressing that is tasty enough to hold its own with all of the ingredients.

Bulgur is made from whole wheat kernels that have been parboiled, dried and cracked.  It is a high-fiber whole grain that can be prepared by simply soaking in boiling water, as in this recipe, or boiled for a fluffier product.  It is a staple in the Levant - including Syria, Lebanon and southern Turkey.  It has a nutty flavor and can be used as cereal, or in tabbouleh, kibbeh or salads.  It has 6 grams of protein per serving and some iron.

A quick way to make a weeknight dinner is to grill/ bake/ broil a supply of chicken for the week, then just cut up one or two chicken breasts to use for this salad.  I had chicken that I had baked the day before in a sesame Asian mix and that worked very well.

Ingredients:

1 cup bulgur
1½ cups boiling water

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast
Freshly ground black pepper
¾ tsp. kosher salt, divided
4 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil, divided

1/3 cup fresh orange juice
2 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
8 cups arugula or baby kale roughly chopped
2 cups cherry or grape tomatoes, quartered
4 scallions, thinly sliced
1 avocado, chopped

Directions:

1)  Put the bulgur into a large bowl, pour in the boiling water, and cover. Let stand for 10 minutes, then uncover and allow to cool.  I didn't find that this cooked well enough, so I microwaved it for another few minutes.

2)  Pat the chicken dry with a paper towel and season with pepper and ¼ tsp. of salt. Sauté over medium heat in 1 Tbs. of the olive oil until golden brown on both sides, about 2 minutes per side. Remove the chicken from the pan, allow it to rest for 5 minutes, then slice.

3)  Make the dressing by whisking together the remaining 3 Tbs. of olive oil with the orange juice, lemon juice, remaining ½ tsp. of salt, and pepper to taste.

4) Add the arugula to the bowl with the bulgur and toss with the dressing. Top with the sliced chicken, tomatoes, scallions, and avocado.

Serves 4.

Nutrition Information:
Per Serving—
Calories: 490
Total Fat: 25 g
Saturated Fat: 4 g
Protein: 31 g
Carbohydrates: 40 g
Fiber: 13 g
Cholesterol: 70 mg
Sodium: 460 mg