Loaded Chicken, Tuna and Avocado Salad
Serves 3 to 4 · Prep: 20 minutes · Cook: 10 minutes · Total: about 30 minutes
I know chicken AND tuna in the same salad sounds like a lot, but give it a chance! There is also avocado, egg, corn, and warm mushrooms. If I am eating salad for lunch, I want enough stuff in the bowl that I am not looking for a snack an hour later. Add the crispy onions right before eating. They are the best part.
Ingredients
Salad
- 6 cups mixed greens or chopped romaine
- 1 ripe avocado, sliced
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 cup corn kernels, cooked and cooled
- 2 hard-boiled eggs, quartered
- 1½ cups cooked chicken, cut into bite-size pieces
- 1 can tuna, drained and broken into large flakes
- 5 ounces brown beech mushrooms, also called brown shimeji
- ½ cup sliced wood ear mushrooms, optional
- 1 tablespoon neutral oil
- Salt and black pepper
- ¼ cup mixed pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, sliced almonds, or cashews
- ¼ cup crispy fried onions or shallots
Sesame-soy dressing
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1½ tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon honey or maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 to 2 teaspoons water
- Black pepper
Instructions
- 1
Make the dressing
Whisk the olive oil, rice vinegar, soy sauce, honey, sesame oil, Dijon mustard, 1 teaspoon water, and a few grinds of black pepper. Add the remaining water if it tastes too strong.
- 2
Prepare the mushrooms
Trim the tough base from the shimeji mushrooms and separate them into small clusters. Heat the neutral oil in a skillet over medium-high heat.
- 3
Cook the mushrooms
Add the shimeji and leave them undisturbed for about 2 minutes so they can brown. Cook for another 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the wood ear, if using, and cook for 1 to 2 minutes more. Season lightly with salt and pepper.
- 4
Build the salad
Spread the greens in a wide bowl. Arrange the avocado, tomatoes, corn, eggs, chicken, tuna, and warm mushrooms over the top.
- 5
Finish
Scatter over the seeds and crispy onions. Drizzle with half the dressing, then add more as needed.
Make the dressing first
Whisk the dressing before you start assembling the salad. Taste it with a leaf of lettuce instead of tasting it from a spoon. The greens and avocado soften the soy sauce once everything comes together.
If the dressing tastes too salty, add a teaspoon of water. Add another teaspoon if it still needs help.
Give the mushrooms room
Heat the skillet before adding the mushrooms, then leave them alone for the first two minutes. That is when they brown.
If mushrooms cover the entire pan, cook them in two batches. Crowding makes them release water. Let them cool for a minute before adding them to the greens. You want warm mushrooms, not wilted lettuce.
Other substitutions
Chicken: swap in shrimp, salmon, tofu, chickpeas, or an extra egg. Canned chicken or leftover roasted salmon also work if you'd rather not cook a protein at all.
Tuna: canned salmon or crab, or leave it out.
Corn: edamame, peas, or roasted sweet potato. Rice vinegar: lemon juice or apple-cider vinegar. Soy sauce: tamari or coconut aminos. Seeds and nuts: use whatever combination you have on hand.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do chicken and tuna really work together?
Yes. Keep both pieces fairly large rather than mashing them together. You want some bites with chicken and others with tuna. If two proteins sound like too much, leave one out. Add another egg or more mushrooms.
What can replace shimeji mushrooms?
Use cremini, oyster, shiitake, or white beech mushrooms. Slice larger mushrooms before adding them to the skillet. Wood ear adds crunch more than flavor. Leave it out if you cannot find it.
How do I store the leftovers?
Keep the dressing in a separate container. Store the warm mushrooms away from the greens. Cut fresh avocado when you are ready to eat, then add the crispy onions. Once dressing hits the entire salad, tomorrow’s lunch starts getting soggy.
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