Healthy Recipe: Sweet Potato & Avocado Salad with Spicy Cashew Dressing

Recipe by Becky Duffett | Photo by Erin Kunkel

Sweet and spicy, with lean protein and superfood veggies, here's a your next salad obsession. If you already have roasted chicken and sweet potatoes, that makes it easy. If you buy a shredded cabbage or broccoli mix, it's a snap. But don't miss out on the spicy cashew dressing. You'll inhale anything you pour it on. Brussels sprouts most definitely included.

INGREDIENTS

1 lb (500 g) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 sweet potato, chopped into bite-size pieces
4 oz (125 g) super greens or baby kale
1 cup (3 oz/90 g) shredded purple cabbage
1 cup (5 oz/155 g) shredded carrots
2 green onions, green parts only, chopped
Juice of 1 lime
1 avocado, peeled, pitted, and diced

For the spicy cashew dressing:

¼ cup (1½ oz/45 g) roasted cashews
¼ cup (2 fl oz/60 ml) boiling water
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
¼ to ½ teaspoon dried chile flakes
½ cup (4 fl oz/125 ml) extra-virgin olive oil

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat the oven to 450°F (230°C). Line a baking sheet with foil.

Place the chicken breasts on half of the pan, brush with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, and season with ½ teaspoon salt and pepper. Pile the chopped sweet potato on the second half of the pan, drizzle with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, season with ¼ teaspoon salt and pepper, and toss to coat. Transfer the pan to the oven and roast until the chicken is firm to the touch and no longer pink at the center, and the sweet potato is tender and crispy at the edges, 18 to 20 minutes. Let cool before slicing the chicken.

To make the spicy cashew dressing, place the cashews in the bowl of a high-speed blender, pour the boiling water over, and rest until softened, 5 minutes. Pulse the cashews until nearly smooth, 30 seconds. Add the vinegar, soy sauce, ginger, and chile flakes and pulse to combine. With the motor running, slowly stream in the ½ cup olive oil to make a thick dressing. Pour the dressing into a jar, seal tightly, and refrigerate until ready to serve.

In a large bowl, combine the chicken, sweet potato, greens, shredded cabbage, shredded carrots, and green onions. Drizzle with the lime juice and some of the dressing and toss to coat. Fold in the avocado last. Taste and season with salt if necessary.

Heap the salad on plates and serve.

Makes 4 servings

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

Calories 420
Protein 30 g
Total fat 28 g
Saturated fat 4 g
Carbs 16 g
Fiber 6 g
Total sugars 4 g
Added sugars 0 g
Sodium 560 mg

*Using 2 tablespoons of dressing per serving.

This article is not intended to substitute for informed medical advice. You should not use this information to diagnose or treat a health problem or condition. Always check with your doctor before changing your diet, altering your sleep habits, taking supplements, or starting a new fitness routine.

Becky Duffett

Becky Duffett is a contributing nutrition editor for Fitbit and a lifestyle writer with a passion for eating well. A former Williams-Sonoma cookbook editor and graduate of San Francisco Cooking School, she's edited dozens of cookbooks and countless recipes. City living has turned her into a spin addict-but she'd still rather be riding a horse. She lives in the cutest neighborhood in San Francisco, spending weekends at the farmers' market, trying to read at the bakery, and roasting big dinners for friends.