When we arrived home from a late morning hike with Sadie, I got to work in the kitchen while Ryan worked around the house. I was recently sent coupons to try the new all natural Dole chopped salad kits and encouraged to create my “best dunkable recipe” using the salad kits in honor of the kickoff of March Madness! (Stay tuned for a giveaway at the bottom of this post!)
Yesterday I picked up the BBQ ranch chopped salad kit at the grocery store and on today’s hike with Ryan, I wasn’t sure how I would transform my salad into a dunkable recipe until Ryan suggested making zucchini boats! I loved the idea and tried my best to keep my recipe healthy by incorporating avocados into the mix rather than mayonnaise when I made the BBQ chicken salad that I used to fill the boats.
Avocado BBQ Chicken Salad Zucchini Boats
Avocado BBQ Chicken Salad Zucchini Boats
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 10 Zucchini Boats 1x
- Category: lunch, recipes
- Cuisine: lunch
Description
Such a yummy lunch that is packed with vegetables, protein and flavor!
Ingredients
- 1 bag Dole All Natural BBQ Ranch Chopped Salad Kit
- 2 cups pulled chicken
- 1 cup raw sweet corn (approximately two ears)
- 2 avocados, thoroughly mashed with pits removed
- 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
- Juice of 1/2 lime
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 tablespoons BBQ sauce
- 5 zucchini, sliced in half with centers removed
Instructions
- Open Dole salad kit and place all ingredients except for the BBQ ranch salad dressing into a large bowl.
- Add chicken and raw sweet corn to the salad.
- In a small bowl, combine mashed avocados, pepper, salt, lime juice and olive oil and stir.
- Add avocado mixture to chicken salad mixture and thoroughly combine.
- Add BBQ sauce to the salad and stir until properly combined.
- Scoop chicken salad into zucchini boats and serve with the BBQ ranch dressing if you wish. You may wish to simply drizzle the BBQ ranch dressing on top of the zucchini boats or you may need to add additional BBQ ranch dressing for dipping.
- Enjoy!
This recipe was crunchy, flavorful and filling! Since it makes a large amount, I am already looking forward to leftovers tomorrow!
Dole gave me permission to share two more delicious-looking dunkable recipe with you guys just in case you’re on the lookout for something delicious to make for an upcoming March Madness party!
Ingredients
- 1/2 pkg (12-oz) DOLE® Chopped Asian Blend
- 3 medium DOLE Green Onions, trimmed and thinly sliced, include one-inch of the darker green leaves
- 1/4 cup DOLE Carrots, julienne sliced
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon fresh cilantro leaves
- 1 tablespoon Asian sweet chili sauce
- 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 medium ripe avocado, seeded
- 1 teaspoon lime juice
- 6 (8-inch) spring roll wrappers
- 12 fresh basil leaves
- Dipping Sauce (recipe below)
Dipping Sauce:
Whisk together 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 2 tablespoons rice vinegar, 2 teaspoons sesame oil, 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger and 1 teaspoon roasted sesame seeds.
Directions
- Combine salad blend, onions, carrots, rice vinegar, cilantro, sweet chili sauce, ginger and salt. Toss well and set aside.
- Mash avocado with lime juice and set aside.
- Soak two spring roll wrappers at a time in warm water 15 to 20 seconds or until just softened. Remove from water and gently pat dry with a paper towel.
- Place wrappers on work surface. Spread avocado mixture (1×6-inch rectangle) along the edge closest to you, leaving a one-inch border on both sides. Top avocado mixture with 1/3 cup salad mixture and two basil leaves. Roll it up like a burrito: fold side over the filling and roll up the spring roll. Repeat this step until all spring rolls are made.
- Serve spring rolls with dipping sauce.
- Tip: If you are not serving them right away, cover them with a damp towel and wrap them tightly in plastic wrap. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.
Ingredients:
- 1 pkg. (8 oz.) low-fat cream cheese or Neufchatel cheese, softened
- 2 cups DOLE® Chopped Asian Blend, coarsely chopped, divided
- 1/4 cup diced DOLE Red Onion
- 2 tablespoons chopped pickled jalapeno, to taste
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 teaspoons lime juice
- 1-1/4 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup flaxseeds
- Offer a variety of accompaniments such as:
- Roasted vegetables – sweet potato slices, Brussels sprouts and cauliflower
- Raw vegetables – baby carrots, broccoli, radishes, red pepper or snap peas
- Baked crackers – lentil, seaweed or other whole grain crackers
Directions
- Beat cream cheese in mixing bowl, until light and fluffy. Slowly add in 1 cup salad blend, onion, jalapeno, cilantro, olive oil, lime juice, cumin and salt, until blended.
- Mold mixture into a ball and roll in remaining salad blend. Sprinkle with flaxseeds.
- Transfer ball to serving plate and surround with assorted raw or roasted vegetables and crackers.
- Tip: Make ahead and refrigerate until just before game time. Use a variety of colorful vegetables and grain-based baked crackers to convert your toughest chip-and-dip armchair competitor.
Dole Giveaway
And now it’s time for a giveaway! I think the salad lovers out there will like this one!
One PBF reader will win the following:
- Five free Dole salad coupons
- Two Eating Well cookbooks
- Tote bag
- Chopping block
To enter this giveaway, answer one (or all) of the following questions:
- What is your favorite kind of salad?
- What teams do you think will be in the Final Four?
- And a fun March Madness trivia question from Ryan: Who offered $1 billion dollars for a perfect bracket?
I will randomly select a winner on Monday morning.
Good luck!
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All those recipes look amazing! I love buffalo chicken salads and they are on the menu for dinner tonight!
My absolute favorite is a Caesar salad with anchovies. Those boats look fantastic, btw!
greek salad 🙂
I am pulling for Ohio State! My favorite salad is one with an Asian twist.
YUMMY! Those salads look DELISH and the boats WOAH amazing idea! One question though is Dole organic? That is HUGE in my book all greens should be organic at all costs? Let me know xo C
I had a winter kale salad at Tractor Foods in Vancouver last weekend. Kale, radicchio, borlotti beans, toasted pumpkin seeds, dried cranberries, asiago cheese, creamy lemon dressing, so good!
Love me a jam packed Cobb salad!
My favorite is a Cherry Chicken salad. I make mine on with grilled chicken, dried cherries, gorgonzola cheese, red onion, walnuts, and balsamic vinaigrette.
Wow, those little boats look delicious and perfect (healthy!) snack for March Madness – which is by far the best time of the year!
1. My favorite kind of salad is anything asian infused – I really love ahi tuna salads!
2. Wow, that’s a really hard question! I follow college BB religiously and I think this year is totally up for grabs but here’s my guess: Florida, Iowa State, Michigan State, Creighton. All depends on that bracket though!
3. Warren Buffet!
I like taco salads with avocado black beans and chicken!
Champagne Chicken Salad is one of my favorites.
I think Duke, Syracuse, Wichita State and Florida are my hopes for the Final Four
And if I’m right, maybe Warren Buffet will pay me the Billion dollars$$.
Thanks for a fun recipe. I am going to try the Avocado Zuchinni Boats.
This looks amazing! Such a fresh, summery meal! My favourite type of salad is quinoa and red bean salad. But for a quick fresh salad I always made fresh mixed greens (lettuce, kale, baby spinach), with strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, feta, and almonds or walnuts, and chia seeds – with few fresh squeezed lemon slices for dressing. So good 🙂
My favorite salad is definitely a chopped salad! Anything goes 🙂 sweet potatoes, peppers, carrots, broccoli, goat cheese, berries.. so many options!
My favorite salad is one with a balance of spinach and romaine lettuce in it along with a bunch of vegetables and some chicken! I just started my own fitness blog and I would love it if you would check it out! http://mosfitnessadventures.blogspot.com
This time of year I love mixed green or spinach salads with fresh Florida strawberries, avocado chunks, some kind of walnuts or sunflower seeds, and homemade honey mustard dressing. Yum.
1. Any kind of chopped salad!
2. Arizona, Kansas, Syracuse, Duke
3. Warren Buffet through Quicken Loans
I love a cobb salad with fresh ingredients.
Michigan State will be hard to beat!!
Warren Buffet is offering the Billion Dollar Bracket…..watched him on CNBC Friday!
My favorite salad at the moment is the chickpea salad you posted about last week! Tastes so fresh, feels like spring!
I love Crab Louie! Warren Buffet offered 1 billion dollars. Go Zags!
I love a spinach salad with strawberries!
I always love a good Greek salad, mostly because I love olives! If I had it my way, I would have Duke (winning it all), Arizona, Syracuse, and whoever the #15 seed in the South Bracket. Warren Buffet is the man that’s offering up the money for a perfect bracket.
I think the answer to Rhabs question is Quicken Loans. I love steak salads, and I’m from Pittsburgh….did you know that in this area all steak salads are served with French fries on top?!
What a typo…clearly I meant Ryan, lol
I love taco salads!!
Warren Buffet is offering the billion for a perfect bracket! A few of my roommates go crazy for March Madness so that’s the reason I know!
(1) Greek salad 🙂 ….. And (3) Warren Buffett!
I’ve always been super minimalist with my salads – can’t go wrong with spinach, mixed greens, walnuts, cranberries, and some balsamic!
I love southwestern salads with black beans, corn, avocado and lots of veggies!
My favorite salad is one with lots of green leaf lettuce, tomatoes, red/yellow/or orange peppers, onions, grilled chicken, cheese, croutons and Bolthouse Farms Honey Mustard Dressing (thanks to your recommendation!). I could eat salad everyday — especially in the summer!
My favorite salad is a greek salad; love those kalamata olives! But BBQ chicken salads are definitely near the top of my list and zucchini is my favorite vegetable, so I’m loving this recipe!
My fave is taco salad!
My favorite salad is from a small bakery cafe on a farm near my home. It contains salad greens (of course), along with cucumbers, red onions, strawberries, craisins, feta cheese, pine nuts, and a delicious homemade honey white balsamic vinaigrette dressing! Oh goodness, now I’m reeeeeally craving one!
I love Greek salads. I also love a salad with feta, cranberries, and balsamic vinaigrette. Love the salty sweet combo
My favorite salad is anything that incorporates fruit into it! Love a salad with strawberries or grapes! Thanks for the awesome giveaway!
I love fresh greek salad with salami and oil and vinegar! I love when it’s all chopped thin and mixes well! 🙂 I also love any salads with lots of fruit and goat cheese. I HOPE the florida gators (my alma mater) along with Duke, syracuse and I will probably include a small town team! I
Those zucchini boats look great! And Warren Buffett (and quicken loans) made the offer.
The zucchini boats look delicious! Can’t wait to give this a try! I love salads with loads of olives, artichokes, peppers, tomatoes and a delicious balsamic to top it off! 🙂
Spinach salad with tuna, celery and peppers with bv
Whenever I see an ahi tuna salad on a menu, I just have to order it! When I’m home, I love a simple spinach salad with goat cheese, carrots, mushrooms and tomatoes:)
My favorite salad is one made with spinach, fruit, nuts and cheese such as strawberries, blueberries, candied almonds and goat cheese. I think the final four teams with be Florida (Go Gators!), Arizona, Virginia and Duke. Warren Buffett made the offer! 🙂
Quicken Loans offered the billion dollars!
I love salads with bleu cheese, pears and candied walnuts!
I love the Dole chopped BBQ ranch salad. Never thought to add chicken and make it a more complete meal. Also, Warren Buffet offered the billion dollars. 🙂
In answer to question #1, my favorite salad is taco salad. I love to add avocado and use salsa as the dressing. As for questions #2 and 3, I do not follow college basketball closely so no good answers for those.
My perfect salad is arugula, candied nuts, gorgonzola cheese, dried fruit, and grilled chicken with balsamic vinaigrette!
The Final Four this year – Syracuse, Michigan State, Iowa, and Iowa State. Can you tell that I’m originally from Iowa?! Haha 🙂
I like my salads to be simple – some greens, vegetables and grilled chicken.
I never really met a salad I didn’t love. Lately it’s been Asian chicken.
Hi! I’ll answer the favorite salad question since that’s the only one I really know. My favorite salad is definitely strawberries, walnuts, goat cheese, kale, and arugula drizzled with Balsamic vinaigrette. It is so yummy!