Shredded Brussels Sprouts & Chicken Caesar Salad

Shredded Brussels Sprouts & Chicken Caesar Salad with crispy capers is a healthy, gluten-free take on Caesar Salad with lots of crunch and flavor!

Good morning, everyone! I’m so happy to report that we’re in a MUCH better place today than we were at this time last week! Thank you from the bottom of Ben’s and my heart for your comments, emails, texts, and messages – we felt every prayer and positive thought. After tests and appointments all last week we’re still not 100% sure what triggered Ben’s heart episode, which is unsettling, and there’s still some getting used to his new medication, but all in all I’m seeing this as a positive in a couple ways. Like I said, he doesn’t have anything heart disease-related, thank goodness, and it was a great push to up the exercise and healthy eating efforts. Sometimes you need to go through something serious to get your butt in gear, which this has definitely done for my man. He is already inspiring me with his commitment to a healthier lifestyle!

My Mom and I recently laughed that, between Lincoln and my nephews’ food allergies, my Celiac Disease, and now Ben’s desire to eat for a healthier heart, we’ll be eating fruit salad and ice chips for Sunday lunches from now on.  Of course it’s really not that bad – we look at it as a fun challenge – and I’ve already come up with a contender that’s not only healthy, but off the charts delicious – Shredded Brussels Sprouts and Chicken Caesar Salad!

I’ve had this recipe in my back pocket for months now, inspired by the Fall Shredded Brussels Sprouts Salad you all went nuts for last year, and thought this was the perfect time to share. Ben is obsessed with Caesar Salad – which is weird because he HATES creamy dressings, yogurt, pudding (who hates pudding?) – so I put a healthy spin on it by using finely shredded raw brussels sprouts, which are not only anti-inflammatory but high in fiber and vitamin C, as the base, a homemade hummus-based Caesar dressing (get ready,) and sauteed chicken breasts marinated in the same dressing for maximum flavor with little effort.

The crispy capers sprinkled on top? Ok, ok – those are for me. Since regular croutons aren’t gluten-free, I swapped in pan-fried crispy capers and, news flash: TOTAL UPGRADE. Goodbye stale bread, hello punch of real flavor!

Honestly the scent wafting from this platter after the hot chicken hit the freshly grated parmesan cheese and garlicky dressing tossed with brussels sprouts is something I will not soon forget. Plus, I’ve had more Caesar Salads than I can count that have come out of the kitchen limp and soggy, but the shredded brussels sprouts stay crunchy even a day or two after being tossed in the (spoon drink-worthy) dressing, making this dish perfect for leftover lunches. I can’t wait for you to try this healthy recipe!

Speaking of healthy, Hy-Vee and I are hosting another Twitter Party this Thursday, March 10 at 3pm CT talking all things healthy eats! Follow me: @iowagirleats, HyVee: @HyVee, and Hy-Vee’s fabulous Chef Andrew: @ChefAndrewHyVee to follow along and get healthy eating tips, ideas, and recipes. Be sure to use #HyVeeHealthy while participating to win 1 of 4, $250 gift cards, too!

Alrighty, onto the Shredded Brussels Sprouts and Chicken Caesar Salad recipe! You can use your favorite bottled Caesar salad dressing or do what I did and make your own. Caesar dressings are notoriously high in fat and can be packed with cheese, which doesn’t work for my family. Instead I made a double batch of Minimalist Baker’s Vegan Caesar Dressing which is made with hummus, garlic, capers, lemon, garlic, salt, pepper, garlic, and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Oh did I mention garlic? This dressing is so good I started dipping chips in it. MUST TRY!

Whatever dressing you decide to go with, add 2 Tablespoons to 2 chicken breasts in a Ziplock bag with salt and pepper (reserve more dressing for the salad,) then squish to coat and marinate anywhere from 5 minutes to 8 hours in the refrigerator. Lincoln didn’t eat the brussels sprouts  (I didn’t even attempt,) but he LOVED this marinated chicken!

While the chicken is marinating, trim 12oz brussels sprouts of their stem and any outer leaves that fall away. If raw brussels sprouts are a bit to much for you, try replacing half with chopped romaine lettuce. Like I said, I just love how crunchy they are though.

Hold each sprout at the core end then use a very sharp knife to shred/shave the sprout. I’ve used the slicing disk on my food processor for raw brussels sprouts salads before, but I can get the slices much thinner with a sharp knife.

Add all the shredded brussels sprouts into a bowl, using your fingers to separate the layers. This would be a great Sunday afternoon prep activity if you’ll be eating the salad later in the week. The shredded sprouts will keep for 3-4 days just fine in the fridge.

Time to get cookin’! Start by preheating 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1/4 cup capers that have been drained then patted dry with a paper towel, and then fry until the capers have blossomed and are crispy, 1-2 minutes, shaking the pan often so they don’t burn. Remove the capers to a paper towel-lined plate to drain then set aside.

I first made crispy capers to top my Chicken Piccata Risotto and holy moly, what a TREAT! They’re like tiny kernels of crispy popcorn. Too good!

Last step is to add the marinated chicken to the skillet then saute for 3-4 minutes on each side, or until cooked through. This chicken would also be fantastic grilled, by the way.

Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes then thinly slice. Toss the shredded brussels sprouts with dressing to taste, then combine with the chicken, sprinkle with crispy capers, and freshly shredded parmesan cheese for a real restaurant experience!

If you’re watching your salt intake, skip or choose between the crispy capers and parmesan cheese. Otherwise load up and eat up on this flavor-packed, delicious and healthy entree salad recipe!

The post Shredded Brussels Sprouts & Chicken Caesar Salad appeared first on Iowa Girl Eats.

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