Broth-poached Chicken with Summer Tabbouleh

This tabbouleh-inspired salad features broth-poached chicken, sliced and served atop a mixture of tender greens, cauliflower rice, grapes, asparagus, and fresh herbs, all drizzled with a snappy lime vinaigrette. 

While traditional tabbouleh is made from a mixture of ground bulgur wheat tossed with lemon juice, olive oil, and fresh herbs, this version is totally grain-free. In fact, this recipe happens to be gluten-free, dairy-free, Paleo, AIP, and low-carb!

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Chef's Notes:

This recipe comes to us by way of AIP expert and cookbook author, Kate Jay of Healing Family Eats. Here's what she has to say about this scrumptious recipe:

Many people shy away from bitter leaves like radicchio. However, they are actually very useful on a healing menu since they aid digestion. AIP-compliant digestive bitters are few and far between (because most come suspended in alcohol), so if you're on AIP it’s a good idea to incorporate bitter leaves into your meals on a regular basis. While it’s true that the bite of radicchio may take a bit of getting used to, pop a leaf into your mouth together with a grape and you’ll be pleasantly surprised. They make a great pairing and your palate will soon adapt.

These ingredients are perfect for a summer lunch, but don’t limit this salad to just the warmer months—you can adapt the recipe as produce changes with the seasons, and enjoy this salad all year round! For example, you might think about swapping the cauliflower rice for spiralized zucchini, celeriac or sweet potato. An alternative to grapes could be pomegranate, and instead of asparagus, finely sliced fennel (together with fronds) would work very nicely.

Finally, if you’re eating outside, you could easily pop the chicken on the grill instead. If you do this, though, try to use skin-on breasts to keep them juicy.

 

Thyroid Healthy Recipe Highlights:

• Chicken is a very good source of selenium, which helps to regulate the production of thyroid hormone, convert T4 to T3, and protect the thyroid from stress. A 3-ounce serving of chicken also provides 84% RDI of the essential amino acid Tyrosine, which the thyroid gland combines with iodine to produce thyroid hormone.
• Cauliflower: A 1 cup serving of cauliflower contains 73% of your daily Vitamin C, and is high in many other nutrients like vitamin B6, folate, and vitamin K. It is low in calories, and high in fiber making it a good choice for weight loss, and gut health.
• Arugula: Dark green leafy vegetables (DGLVs) like arugula are one of the most highly-recommended foods by nutritionists from all schools. In addition to being high in fiber, low in calories, and extremely nutrient-dense, DGLVs feature several key thyroid-supporting nutrients such as Vitamins A, C, and B vitamins, as well as magnesium, potassium, and iron. While some greens, especially those in the brassica family like kale and arugula, have been purported to slow thyroid function when eaten raw and in large amounts, any goitrogenic (thyroid-inhibiting) properties are greatly reduced by cooking the greens. Also, occasionally eating them raw in reasonable amounts is regarded as safe and recommended by many thyroid experts. 
• Asparagus is a good source of thyroid-supporting nutrients like vitamin B6, Magnesium, and Zinc. It contains numerous vitamins and minerals, for the very low caloric price of 20 calories per 1/2 cup serving. Asparagus also has 1.8 grams of fiber per serving which supports gut health, gut motility, digestion, and regularity. 

Happy cooking, happy thriving, and enjoy the recipe (below)!

P.S. If you're anything like me, when I started down the path of thyroid-healthy eating I had questions-- lots of them. What I didn't have was a step-by-step system, to get me where I wanted to go. I wasted a lot of time piecing together bits of information about what to eat, what to avoid, and HOW to make thyroid-healthy dietary changes. That’s why I created the Thyroid-healthy Meal Plan Kickstart. Ready to harness the power of thyroid-healthy eating? Let’s get you kickstarted! Learn more HERE.

 

More Thyroid-healthy Summer Salads: 

• Ginger Basil Chicken Salad (Paleo)
• Vietnamese Chicken Salad (Paleo)
• Deluxe Burger Salad with Special Sauce (Paleo)
• Salmon, Sweet Potato and Watercress Salad with Turmeric Cream (AIP)
• Brown Rice Salad with Shrimp & Avocado (Gluten-free/Dairy-free)
• Thai Beef Salad (Paleo)
• Tropical Chicken Salad (AIP)
• Avocado and Grapefruit Salad with Broiled Salmon (Paleo)