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Citrus-Grilled Chicken with Melon Salsa

Capture the spirit of the tropics and serve it on your dinner table! This sunny mix of citrus-grilled chicken, melon salsa and salad greens spiked with jalapeño chili pepper, is healthy carefree eating at its best.

Directions

Sprinkle pepper on both sides of the chicken. Devein and seed the jalapeño chili with a melon baller (wear gloves when handling, as it can burn); chop finely. Stir 2 tablespoons lime juice, garlic, soy sauce and 1 teaspoon jalapeño in a pie dish. Add the chicken and turn to coat. Marinate at room temperature, turning once, while preparing the melon salsa.
To make the melon salsa, halve the cucumber lengthwise. Remove the seeds by dragging the tip of a spoon down the centre. Place the cucumber cut-side down on a board, and slice 2 mm thick. Toss the cucumber, cantaloupe, tomatoes, basil and remaining jalapeño and lime juice in a medium bowl. Set aside.
Preheat the broiler or barbecue. Discard the marinade from the chicken mixture. Lightly coat both sides of the chicken with nonstick cooking spray (preferably olive oil). Broil or barbecue the chicken until the juices run clear, about 5 minutes on each side, turning only once.
Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and cut the meat diagonally into strips, about 1 cm thick. Toss with the melon salsa. Divide the salad leaves among 4 plates and spoon a quarter of the citrus-grilled chicken and melon salsa on top of each. Serve.

preparation time 20 mins
cooking time 10 mins
serves 4

Source: Cook Smart for a Healthy Heart, Reader's Digest Canada

Ingredients

500 g chicken breasts
1⁄2 teaspoon pepper
1 jalapeño chili
1⁄3 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
2 teaspoons reduced-salt soy sauce
100 g mixed salad greens

Melon Salsa
1 large cucumber
1 small cantaloupe, diced 2 cm thick
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
2 tablespoons very thinly sliced fresh basil

Nutritional Information

PER SERVING

261 calories
34 g protein
9 g total fat
3 g saturated fat
101 mg cholesterol
10 g total carbohydrate
10 g sugars
3 g fibre
227 mg sodium

Cantaloupe is an excellent source of beta carotene, a powerful antioxidant with anticarcinogenic properties that the body converts into vitamin A. Vitamin C in the fruit and lime juice aids in the absorption of iron, which is present in the mix of leafy salad greens.

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