If you make New Year’s resolutions, try adding this crunchy, savory, and slightly sweet Healthy Chicken Salad to your routine. It’s light, satisfying, and easy to prepare—perfect for resetting after a season of indulgence.
I’ve never been one to plan long lists of goals for the year; my annual motto is simply “Be a better person.” Turning 50 made me reassess how I was spending my time. A short text from a client putting her family on hiatus gave me a surprising sense of relief and the nudge I needed to slow down.
For most of my life I lived in a rush—trying to finish assignments, clean up before anyone noticed, squeeze errands into every spare minute. As I raised my children and then built my personal chef business, my days remained busy and tightly scheduled. Cooking has always brought me joy and calm, but I realized I was often racing from one task to the next instead of being present.
That quiet moment of recognition changed how I want to live my days. Whether it’s walking my dogs, talking with a friend, preparing a meal, baking, or writing, I’m making an effort to be more mindful. I still expect to be busy, but I’m aiming to make my days less frantic.
To kick off a more mindful approach, I spent January 1 developing a recipe that balances freshness and flavor without weighing you down. This Winter Slaw with Chicken, Pomegranate, and Toasted Pine Nuts is now a go-to for snack, lunch, or a light dinner as I get back on track with healthier eating.
The combination of tender chicken, crunchy toasted pine nuts, crisp shredded cabbage and carrots, assertive red onion, and sweet pomegranate arils works beautifully with a bright vinaigrette made from apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, honey, and avocado oil. The result is a balanced salad that’s both refreshing and satisfying.
For best texture and longevity, shred a head of green cabbage rather than relying on pre-shredded mixes; this version holds up in the refrigerator for up to three days. If you prefer the convenience of a store-bought bag of shredded cabbage and carrots, store the slaw base separately from the chicken, pine nuts, pomegranate arils, and vinaigrette until ready to serve.
When you’re ready to eat, toss a couple of cups of the cabbage/carrot mix with some of the chicken mixture and a generous drizzle of vinaigrette. Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed.
Recipe
Healthy Chicken with Cabbage and Pine Nuts
Ingredients
- 7 cups shredded cabbage and carrots
- 2 cups cooked chicken shredded
- ½ cup pine nuts toasted
- ½ cup pomegranate seeds
- ½ cup red onion diced
- 2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground pepper
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- ½ cup avocado oil
Instructions
-
In a large bowl combine the shredded cabbage and carrots, shredded chicken, toasted pine nuts, pomegranate seeds, and diced red onion. Set aside.
-
In a small bowl, whisk together the Dijon mustard, honey, salt, pepper, apple cider vinegar, and avocado oil until the vinaigrette is emulsified.
-
Add about ½ cup of the vinaigrette to the slaw ingredients and toss gently to coat. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Reserve extra vinaigrette for another use.
Notes
Extra virgin olive oil can be substituted for avocado oil if preferred.
The vinaigrette makes more than you need for the slaw. Use the extra on mixed greens with thinly sliced apple, diced avocado, and a sprinkle of feta.