By Linda Gassenheimer

A colourful salad featuring deliciously moist, flavourful chicken is a cool treat for a warm August evening. The secret to this dish is poaching the chicken and letting it cool slightly in the poaching liquid. The meat remains moist and firm.
This dinner is served on a large platter with the lettuce leaves as a bed for the chicken and the black beans and corn served around the edge. Sliced tomatoes are arranged on the side as a garnish.

Helpful Hints:
l Any type of lettuce can be used.
&Any type of beans such as red kidney or navy beans can be used.

The dish uses, as you would have guessed, poached chicken. While the chicken cooks, you can prepare the remaining ingredients into a black bean and corn salad. Once the chicken is done, simply assemble the dish.

Shopping List:
Here are the ingredients you’ll need for this dinner in minutes.
To buy: 1/2 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts; 1 can fat-free, low-sodium chicken broth; 1/2 pound green beans; 1 bunch cilantro; 1 bag washed ready-to-eat salad; 1 medium tomato; 1 can black beans; and 1 package frozen corn kernels.
Staples: Reduced-fat vinaigrette dressing, salt and black peppercorns.

Entree:

Summer Chicken Salad

For the chicken:
1/2 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 cup fat-free, low-sodium chicken broth
1/2 pound green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces (about 2 cups)
4 tablespoons reduced-fat vinaigrette dressing
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

For the salad
4 cups lettuce leaves from washed, ready-to-eat salad
1 medium tomato, cut into wedges
To cook chicken
Place chicken in a saucepan just large enough to hold it. Add the chicken broth. Add water to make sure chicken is covered by the liquid. Bring the liquid to a simmer. Gently simmer for 5 minutes. Do not boil or chicken will be tough. Remove from heat and let chicken sit in liquid for 15 minutes. While the chicken simmers, blanch the beans by microwaving 2 minutes on high or adding to a pot of boiling water for 1 minute. Drain.

Assemble the salad
Remove chicken from liquid and cut into cubes about one inch square. Place in a bowl. Add the green beans and dressing and toss well. Place lettuce on a serving platter. Spoon chicken mixture in centre, leaving room around the edge for black beans and corn. Place tomato wedges on one side of platter and sprinkle cilantro over top. Makes 2 servings.
Per serving: 305 calories (21 percent from fat), 7.1g fat (1.2g saturated, 1.9g monounsaturated), 128mg cholesterol, 45.1g protein, 16.7g carbohydrates, 6.4g fibre, 184mg sodium.

Salad
Black Bean And Corn Salad
1 1/2-cups black beans, rinsed and drained
1 1/2-cups corn kernels, frozen, canned drained
2 tablespoons reduced-fat vinaigrette dressing
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

If using frozen corn, heat 2 minutes in a microwave or place in boiling water for 1 minute. Drain. Toss beans and corn in dressing and adjust seasoning by adding salt and pepper to taste. Spoon around edge of serving platter. Makes 2 servings.
Per serving: 265 calories (8 percent from fat), 2.2g fat (0.3g saturated, 0.6g monounsaturated), 1mg cholesterol, 14.0g protein, 51.6g carbohydrates, 14.6g fibre, 156mg sodium.

(Linda Gassenheimer is the author, most recently, of Simply Smoothies: Fresh & Fast Diabetes-Friendly Snacks & Complete Meals and Fast and Flavorful: Great Diabetes Meals from Market to Table and The Flavors of the Florida Keys. Her website is dinnerinminutes.com. Follow her on Twitter @lgassenheimer. e-mail: [email protected].)  —TNS