Swap In Tofu For A Vegetarian Twist On Avocado Chicken Salad
Just because meat isn't on the list of ingredients that can be included in tonight's meal doesn't mean your go-to salad recipe is doomed. With a simple swap of tofu for chicken, the avocado salad you had planned to serve can be made equally satisfying, even for the carnivores sitting at the table. After some preparation and planning, tofu can be just as flavorful and texturally appealing as chicken breast taken hot off the grill.
The best part? This easy avocado chicken salad can be made vegetarian-friendly and plated in just 10 minutes, so you can be on your way to dishing out a delicious meal even on days that you feel your schedule is maxed out. Instead of cooking chicken breasts to mix with avocado and other salad ingredients, fry up extra-firm tofu or consider coating tofu pieces in nutritional yeast for an added crispy touch.
Once your tofu has been baked or fried, set the chunks aside to fold into a bowl of chopped walnuts, apples, dried cranberries, and shallots. Add a dressing made from lemony Greek yogurt, season to taste, then slather this quick recipe onto toasted bread or spoon it onto sandwiches. Even if you decide to enjoy this salad with your favorite crackers, Meatless Monday is now sorted.
A meat-free recipe that is both quick and nutritious
Though this easy avocado salad is best made and served on the same day, the simplicity of the recipe is an appealing factor for demanding pangs of hunger or meals that need to be doled out quickly. The crispy texture of firm tofu combined with the buttery smoothness of avocado makes for a tempting duo, and, when seasoned with your choice of spices, this dish can easily be shifted into regular meal rotation.
Once you've mastered the salad recipe, experiment with flavor variation by preparing your tofu with jerk spices, maple sesame seasoning, or a flavorful bulgogi marinade, and try plating the ingredients in separate sections instead of mixing them for a rice bowl presentation. Serve with extra dressing on the side to let diners satiate their own palates. After you've mastered the tricks for making extra crispy tofu and have tried this meat-free meal for yourself, you may not notice the absent chicken meat in your avocado salad.