Chopped Chicken Artichoke Salad

Artichoke marinade becomes the dressing for this super simple chopped salad made with leftover chicken (or turkey), cabbage, onion, tomato, matchstick carrots, cooked beans and avocado, with fresh basil and a bit of feta cheese crumbled on top. This simple chopped salad will tempt your taste buds and make your whole body feel so good!

I think some mini sweet peppers would be a marvelous addition, but I didn’t have any on hand.

Can I use turkey in place of chicken?

Either turkey or chicken work great in this salad. I actually used turkey, but “Chopped Turkey Artichoke Salad” just didn’t sound as good as “Chopped Chicken Artichoke Salad. I just liked the alliteration that the word chicken adds to the name.

How did this salad come about?

Oh I’m so glad you asked! 😉 For Easter dinner my dad made a wild turkey for dinner. I brought some home, intending to share with my kids, who both like wild turkey but when I suggested they eat some, they both seemed decidedly indifferent to it. So it appeared I had a bunch of turkey to eat on my own. One day during work (I work from home), my body needed some quick protein, so I reached for the turkey, but now, without all the fixings and the gravy, it tasted kinda dry. I looked in the fridge for something to spruce up my turkey and the first thing that caught my eye was a jar of marinated artichoke hearts. Ooh, that would be yummy (and quick)! So I fished out a few of the little arti-hearts and chopped them up along with the turkey, stirred it all together, then drizzled a bit of the marinade over top, just for good measure, and chowed it down. MUCH better!

As I was eating my simple turkey/artichoke snack, it occurred to me that I could expand on this idea. So the next day for lunch, I started pulling things out of my veggie drawer, chopping them up and adding them to the salad, until I had a pleasing mix of crunchy and chewy. And then I stirred in some of my soft, creamy Instant Pot beans and some creamy avocados too. And of course my block of feta cheese had to step in and add a pretty crumble over top … and my fresh basil wanted to play too. It all came together so quickly, and it was so pretty. I took a few quick pictures and went happily back to my desk to eat it.

It was so good I made it again the next day for lunch. And again on Saturday. And who knows, I might make it again tomorrow!

Is this salad healthy?

Oh gosh yes! In roughly 300 calories, this tasty salad boasts 18 grams of protein and 9 grams of fiber and is rich with calcium, potassium, vitamins A, B and C as well as important minerals like copper, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus and iron. It’s heart healthy, gluten free, and great for diabetics too. I love that it is full of good healthy cholesterol-lowering fats and gives me almost half of my daily dose of fiber.

All the colors are such a treat for the eyes and the flavors and textures play against each other so nicely.

How can I make this salad vegan?

It’s easy! Substitute some chopped tofu or nuts for the chicken and skip the feta cheese and you have a lovely lunch that’s perfect for vegans. For pescetarians (fish/seafood eaters), you could nix the chicken and add canned tuna or salad shrimp.

What if I don’t have all the vegetables on hand?

Feel free to substitute any veggies you have for the ones I’ve used. Change it up and make this salad your own. Just don’t leave out the artichokes …

Chopped Chicken Artichoke Salad

• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Total Time: 15 minutes
• Yield: 1 serving 1x

Print Recipe

Pin Recipe

---

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 2 oz. chopped leftover chicken breast
• 1 – 2 campari tomatoes, chopped
• 6 marinated artichoke hearts, chopped
• 1 – 2 Tablespoons chopped onion
• 1/2 cup chopped cabbage
• 1/4 – 1/3 cup matchstick carrots
• 2 – 4 Tablespoons of marinade from artichokes
• 1/3 cup cooked beans, rinsed
• 1/3 of a large, ripe avocado, cut into chunks
• For the top: 4 – 6 basil leaves, chiffonade and a bit of crumbled feta

---

Instructions

1. In a small mixing bowl, toss together the chicken, tomatoes, artichoke hears, onion, cabbage and carrots.
2. Add 2 – 4 Tablespoons of artichoke marinade and stir to coat.
3. Gently fold in the beans and avocado. Sprinkle with the basil and crumbled feta. Enjoy!

---

Notes

To chiffonade the basil: Roll fresh basil leaves up together and cut crosswise to make little “ribbons” of basil.

I felt the artichoke marinade served well as the dressing, but feel free to add another dressing if you feel it needs more. Avocado ranch or a bit of balsamic vinegar and olive oil would add lovely flavors, but you could also stir in a Tablespoon or so of light mayonnaise.

RECIPE SOURCE: http://www.sumptuousspoonfuls.com/

© Copyright 2019, Sumptuous Spoonfuls. All images & content are copyright protected. Please do not use my images without prior permission. If you want to publish any of my images, please ask first. If you want to republish this recipe as your own, please re-write the recipe in your own words or link back to this post for the recipe.

---

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 salad