Teriyaki Chicken Salad

You know what I hate? Getting to that place where you know it's become time to move on. Again.

Whether it's in my personal life or professional life, it always leaves me with an unsettling feeling deep down in my stomach. Change is good (and sometimes very necessary), but it's never nice leaving those now-very-comfortable people and places behind. Even though they might now irritate the living daylights out of us. Or actually be harmful to our wellbeing.

Sometimes there's nothing wrong with the current situation, but you also know that it's just never going to be anything more. Zero future opportunities. Know what I mean? Those are the hardest ones to let go of. Because it's still nice, it's still "lekker", it's just not good for you. Kind of like sometimes you have to pass up the chocolate bar for a piece of fruit, which will be both refreshing and delicious. But boy, sometimes it's hard to walk away from that chocolate bar...

This salad is not a chocolate bar, but like the metaphorical piece of fruit, it is both refreshing and delicious. And I think, ultimately, that's the way to go. 

Teriyaki Chicken Salad

Adapted from The Good Mood Food Blog

Serves 4

4 chicken breasts (skinless & boneless)

3 tbsp teriyaki sauce

1 tsp minced garlic

1 tsp vegetable oil

1/2 cabbage, finely shredded

150g mangetout, sliced in half lengthways

1/4 cup coriander, finely shredded 

salt & pepper, to taste

For the dressing:

1 tbsp sunflower oil

2 tbsp teriyaki sauce

1 tbsp lemon juice

1/2 tsp minced garlic

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1. Combine teriyaki sauce and garlic in a bowl, add chicken breasts, cover and allow to marinate for 10 minutes.

2. Heat oil in a medium frying pan over medium heat, then add chicken breasts and cook for 4 -5 minutes either side or until cooked through. Remove from the pan and allow to cool.

3. Meanwhile, toss cabbage, mangetout and coriander together. 

4. Combine all the ingredients for the dressing and drizzle over the cabbage salad. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

5. Divide the cabbage salad among individual serving plates. Carefully slice the cooled chicken breasts into thin slices, and fan atop the cabbage salad. Serve immediately.

Nutritional info (per serving): Calories 372.9, Total fat 7.9 g, Saturated fat 1.3 g, Polyunsaturated fat 3.8 g, Monounsaturated fat 1.6 g, Cholesterol 136.9 mg, Sodium 6161.8 mg, Potassium 1266.7 mg, Total carbohydrate 14.7 g, Dietary fiber 4.1 g, Sugars4.5 g, Protein 59.5 g

Good source of: Niacin 142.7 %, Vitamin C 103.2 %, Vitamin B6 81.9 %, Phosphorus 76.7 %, Selenium 62.4 %, Magnesium 48.5 %, Iron 34.2 %, Folate 27.9 %, Calcium 24.2 %