This warm eggplant and chicken salad is the kind of hearty, protein-packed bowl you’ll crave on busy weeknights. Smoky fried eggplant, tender chicken strips, and crunchy walnuts come together with a creamy khmeli-suneli mayo dressing. If you love wholesome chicken salads, try our Light Chicken Salad with Mustard Dressing and Perfect Chicken and Veggie Salad with Walnuts next.
Ingredients
- 1 large eggplant
- 1 bell pepper
- 300 g (10.5 oz) cooked chicken breast
- 1/2 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped
- 50 g (1.8 oz) walnuts, coarsely chopped
- 3 tbsp mayonnaise
- 1 tsp khmeli-suneli spice blend
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Cut the eggplant into thin strips and fry until golden, seasoning with khmeli-suneli, garlic powder, and salt.
- Cut the bell pepper into strips and sauté until soft; roasted peppers work too.
- Boil the chicken breast, let it cool, and slice it into strips.
- Combine the chicken, eggplant, pepper, cilantro, and walnuts in a large bowl.
- Stir in the mayonnaise, toss well, and serve.
Tips
- Salt the eggplant strips for 10 minutes before frying to draw out any bitterness and help them crisp up beautifully.
- Use leftover roast chicken or rotisserie chicken to get this salad on the table even faster.
- For more high-protein salad ideas, Allrecipes has a wide collection of reader-tested favorites.
Nutrition: per 100 g: 56 kcal, protein 4 g, fat 5 g, carbs 5 g.