With fresh vegetables and marinated chicken in a tangy and savory dressing, this zucchini noodle salad is great served warm or chilled. When it was first introduced and then when we brought it back in 2018, members shared many ways to customize the bowls and mentioned loving the salad for meal prep and lunch leftovers. Smarts: Be sure to follow the instructions to divide the marinade in half, using half to marinate the chicken and the remainder to dress the finished dish.
Green beans, fresh or frozen - 10 oz , chopped into bite-sized pieces
Zucchini - 10 oz , spiralized or peeled into ribbons
Cilantro leaves - 1/4 cup , chopped
Lime juice - 2 tsp
Choose Cooking Method
Prep
Make marinade - Whisk together honey, aminos, vinegar, toasted sesame oil, cooking oil, and Sriracha.
Chicken - (If prepping right before cooking, while chicken marinates, get grill heating.) Halve chicken and cover in half the marinade (reserve the other half). Tenderize with a fork. Marinate for at least 20 minutes and up to 1 day. (Can be done up to 1 day ahead)
Carrots / Green beans - Prep as directed. If using frozen green beans, defrost. If using fresh green beans, place green beans in a microwave-safe container, cover with a wet paper towel, and microwave for 2 to 3 minutes, until tender but still crunchy. (Can be done up to 4 days ahead)
Cook zucchini noodles - Place a microwave-safe colander into a large bowl (or really, just use your salad spinner without the top). Add in spiralized noodles and microwave 1 minute at a time for 3 to 4 minutes, until they reach a tender but crunchy consistency. If any liquids release during cooking, they'll drain out of the colander into the bowl so the noodles don't become soggy. Use scissors to snip up noodles into more bite-sized pieces.
Cilantro - Chop cilantro.
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Preheat grill to 500 degrees, keeping one part on higher heat and another part on lower heat. Clean grates and brush with some oil.
Discard marinade and season chicken with some salt and pepper.
Grill chicken by searing over high heat for ~2 minutes on each side. Move to lower heat and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes (or until chicken is cooked through) with cover closed.
Chop chicken into bite-sized pieces.
Toss second half of marinade with zucchini noodles, carrots, green beans, cilantro, and chopped chicken. Finish with lime juice. Season to taste with some salt and pepper. Add some more Sriracha if you'd like.
Prep
Make marinade - Whisk together honey, aminos, vinegar, toasted sesame oil, cooking oil, and Sriracha.
Chicken - Halve chicken and cover in half the marinade (reserve the other half). Tenderize with a fork. Marinate for at least 20 minutes and up to 1 day. (Can be done up to 1 day ahead)
Carrots / Green beans - Prep as directed. If using frozen green beans, defrost. If using fresh green beans, place green beans in a microwave-safe container, cover with a wet paper towel, and microwave for 2 to 3 minutes, until tender but still crunchy. (Can be done up to 4 days ahead)
Cook zucchini noodles - Place a microwave-safe colander into a large bowl (or really, just use your salad spinner without the top). Add in spiralized noodles and microwave 1 minute at a time for 3 to 4 minutes, until they reach a tender but crunchy consistency. If any liquids release during cooking, they'll drain out of the colander into the bowl so the noodles don't become soggy. Use scissors to snip up noodles into more bite-sized pieces.
Cilantro - Chop cilantro.
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Discard marinade and season chicken with some salt and pepper.
Heat a grill pan or skillet over medium-high heat. Brush with some oil. Add chicken to hot grill pan and sear for ~3 minutes on both sides. Lower heat and then cover with a lid or foil, cooking for another 2 to 3 minutes.
Chop chicken into bite-sized pieces.
Toss second half of marinade with zucchini noodles, carrots, green beans, cilantro, and chopped chicken. Finish with lime juice. Season to taste with some salt and pepper. Add some more Sriracha if you'd like.