Fill Up with Shredded Chicken and Sesame Salad

If youve been paying attention, you know that Im not a big fan of lettuce in salads. Lettuce doesnt taste very good, its not especially nutrient dense, and it has a tendency to leave you hungry after a few hours. Thats why I love salads like this one.

With tender chicken, nutty sesame seeds, sun-ripened tomatoes and crunchy cucumbers, its an easy make-ahead meal that will fill you up without slowing you down. Packed with protein, fiber, minerals and vitamins, its as colorful as it is rich in nutrients.

By steaming the chicken you not only retain more flavor, it keeps the chicken nice and moist. The key to steaming chicken is that you want cook it gently at a relatively low temperature. Too hot and you may as well be boiling it.

Because the salad is served cold, you can steam the chicken late at night, when the sun isn't bearing down on your home. Then, store it in the fridge whole until youre ready to use it. The salad can be put together up to a day in advance, but keep in mind that the scallions and cilantro will wilt once dressed.