Vegan Tropical Salad with Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette Dressing

This vegan tropical salad combines a mix of fresh greens, and veggies with pineapple and a tangy cilantro lime vinaigrette dressing.

Since I am following a vegan diet, I used Gardein chicken strips, but normal chicken breasts would work just fine if you are a meat eater.

These chicken strips are very tasty, meat-free, and come in several great tasting flavors. I also used them recently in a Thai peanut stir fry and my family loved them.

Combine them with salad greens and you have the perfect lunch for meatless Monday. Keep reading to find out how to make this vegan tropical salad recipe.

Tropical salad ingredients

My vegetable garden is growing well right now, so choosing the veggies was easy. I used fresh greens and topped them with baby bell peppers, fresh tomatoes, and cucumbers

I also added avocado for some extra healthy fats and pineapple for its freshness and tropical flavor. The rest of the salad and marinade used these ingredients:

• Gardein chicken Strips (meat-free!)
• onion
• olive oil
• lime juice
• garlic
• cumin
• chili powder
• fresh parsley
• and a delightful homemade dressing

Tropical salad dressing recipe for the vegan salad

I topped the vegan salad with a tropical vinaigrette dressing that is super easy to make. It takes just minutes to prepare.

The dressing is made from lime juice, crushed garlic, cumin, chili powder and fresh parsley. It is tangy and a bit spicy and compliments the salad well.

Using pineapple in the salad gives the recipe a tropical feel which is perfect for warm summer days.

Do you use meat substitutes in dishes?  Let us know in the comments below.

For more healthy cooking recipes, please visit my Pinterest Healthy Cooking Board.

Yield: 2 salads

Tropical Salad with Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette

Print

Enjoy the taste of the tropics with this delicious salad. Fresh veggies and pineapple combine with Gardein chicken strips and a wonderful marinade to give you a summertime sensation.

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Total Time 35 minutes

Ingredients

• 6 ounces of Gardein chicken Strips 
• 1/2 onion, sliced
• 1 small red pepper, sliced
• 1 small yellow pepper, sliced
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 4 cups fresh salad greens
• 12 cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1/2 avocado, sliced
• 2 baby cucumbers, sliced
• 1 cup of fresh pineapple cubed

Marinade for the chicken

• juice of 1/2 lime
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 clove of garlic, crushed
• 1/4 teaspoon cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon chili powder
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley

Vinaigrette

• juice of 1/2 lime
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 1 clove of garlic
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Saute the Gardein chicken pieces in 1 tsp of olive oil for a few minutes on each side and then place into the marinade and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
2. Combine all of the other salad ingredients on a plate.
3. Use a food processor to combine the vinaigrette ingredients.
4. Add the chicken to the top of the salad, along with the marinade and top with the vinaigrette. Enjoy!

Notes

(meat eaters can use boneless, skinless chicken)

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

2

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 792Total Fat: 41gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 32gCholesterol: 39mgSodium: 1038mgCarbohydrates: 92gFiber: 12gSugar: 47gProtein: 23g

Nutritional information is approximate due to natural variation in ingredients and the cook-at-home nature of our meals.

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