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
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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!
Keywords: avocado, avocado chicken salad, chicken salad, Recipes
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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I like any salad that is chopped and has avocado in it!!!
Chicken caesar salad is my all time favorite. And I’m a big Michigan fan! 🙂
Since Kentucky completely bombed this year I’m cheering for my hometown university: Stephen F Austin!
I love apples and pecans in my salads!
I love spinach salads with all kinds of toppings – veggies, beans, rice!
anything with bbq chicken and avocado!
1. Chopped salads are my fav, I usually throw some chicken or ground turnkey and avaocado in it
2. Duke, Arizona, NC, UF
3. Waren Buffett
Honestly I love most salads, and like to turn about anything into one, my favorite would have to be either a strawberry balsamic salad with red onions or an Asian themed one I think, or even a ham, avocado salad with light Catalina dressing! It is hard to choose just one and so many people here in the comments made such good suggestions!
What teams do you think will be in the Final Four? I’ve no clue but someone listed Florida so I’ll pick them as one 🙂 Not sure where GA stands really.
Lastly for the trivia: DETROIT, January 21, 2014
Oh man I love all salads but there is nothing like a good chopped salad!
1) anything with goat cheese!
2) Florida, Arizona, MSU, and UK
3) already been answered, but–Warren Buffet
I love Asian salads! Excited to try the Dole version!
I love any salad with avocado, but the barbeque salad at CPK is my favorite!
Cobb salads are my go-to salad at restaurants, but I love any salad that mixes protein with veggies and healthy fats harmoniously. I also love making homemade summer rolls, I think you would too!
I love ahi tuna salad! Thanks girl
1) My favorite salad is an Asian chicken salad- so good! (Panera makes a great one)
2) Wichita St., Michigan St., Florida, Arizona
3) Warren Buffet/Quicken Loans
Fave salad? Love the Panera california cobb and surprisingly I love the McDonald’s Southwest Chicken Salad.
I’m actually not paying much attention to the March Madness this year.
southwest salads!
I’ve been so into salads lately. My current fav is Chipotle Mango Chopped Chicken Salad! Yummm
Yum! I love a spicy chicken salad, that BBQ ranch mix looks awesome! I think ( okay I want) KU, Creighton, Milwaukee, and Iowa to make it… but that is wishful thinking 🙂 Warren Buffet was the man who is offering $1 BILLION! He’s from my home town 🙂
I love taco salad but really anything with avocado is a win!
My favorite kind of salad is one that incorporates both fruits and vegetables. I love the savory and sweet combo…not to mention all the healthy vitamins and nutrients!
Michigan will win! I love salads with walnuts and goat cheese!
Greek salad
My favorite salad is usually some variation of a taco salad!
I know it may be wishful thinking, but of course I’m going to have to say I think Kentucky will win!
I love salads with chicken and avocado! Sometimes I add dried fruit and walnuts!
1. I love a good grilled chicken sandwich.
2. Michigan State! GO GREEN!!!
3. Warren Buffet
I love the asian salad that they serve at Applebees!
1. WITHOUT A DOUBT, BBQ chicken. I inevitably end up constructing this salad more often than not when I go out to eat by basically asking for a really hearty house salad with blackened or grilled chicken, and BBQ sauce for dressing. Everyone always laughs at me, but BBQ sauce for dressing is AMAZING!
2. Florida, Louisville, Wisconsin, Michigan St. (<– this is saying something, coming from an AVID Syracuse fan).
3. Warren Buffet
1. Any salad with TONS of toppings. Love lots of different flavors.
2. My final four picks are Creighton, Kansas, Virginia, Wichita State
3. Warren Buffet!
My favorite salad is a bbq chicken salad or a mexi-cobb salad.
I like the recipe you came up with. Very clever.
I’m also doing the March Madness bracket’s this year…I don’t know what I’m doing, but I’m hoping to win something. :]
And I have no idea her offered 1 billion…President Obama??
1. My favorite salad is the Santa Fe Ranch from Corner Bakery Cafe! Not the healthiest, so I recreate it at home trying to make it more Weight Watchers friendly.
2. As always, I hope that WVU is in it to win it!
3. Warren Buffett!!!
1. Chopped salads with avocado and different kinds of lettuce all put together like spinach/spring mix/romaine!
I love salads with a little sweetness…like strawberries or pears and candied walnuts. And definitely goat cheese!
I love grilled chicken salads with lots of different toppings. I love avocados in any salad!
I screwed up my last attempt to enter. Grrrr. Side effects of medications. I currently at home recovering from surgery. This is week 2. Comfort foods are no longer an option. Time to starting eating food to fuel my body. This sounds delicious! I may add some craisins for a little sweetness. Here are my answers:
What is your favorite kind of salad? I love salad that has protein, a little crunch, and a little sweetness.
What teams do you think will be in the Final Four? My guees is, four of the current teams playing in the playoffs. Ha, ha, not a basketball fan.
And a fun March Madness trivia question from Ryan: Who offered $1 billion dollars for a perfect bracket? Shoot, can’t help you with this!
1. Asian Chopped Salad
2. AZ, KS, WI and MI
3. Warren Buffet
I love chopped salads of all kinds!
A chicken chopped salad of some sort.
I have no idea final four teams : (
I love salads with candied walnuts and clumps of blue cheese
I love the classic chicken caesar. It’s so simple, yet can get messed up all the time if the dressing’s just not right!
i love chopped bbq salads like the one from panera!
romaine + sunflower seeds + strawberries + balsamic dressing + honey drizzle
the best salad ever!!
I love greek salads, mmm olives!
ISU!, Florida, Arizona, Louisville
Mr Warren Buffet did
I love a chopped salad–the more ingredients the better!
final four–kentucky, kentucky, kentucky, and kentucky 🙂
my dad offered $1 billion dollars 🙂
Taco salads are delicious! I try to “healthify” by using ground turkey meat!
Chopped salad or any salad with A LOT of stuff in it (i.e. nuts, cheese, meat, all kind of veggies, maybe some fruit- I like a lot of variety!)
And Warren Buffet offered the million dollars! Maybe I should randomly select some teams right about now 😉
I love taco salads!
Spinach salads are my favorite!!!! I love adding mandarian oranges, blueberries, strawberries, chopped hard boiled egg and candied pecans.