Creative Cooking: Orange Avocado Chicken Salad

Dios Garcia is the director of dining services at Villa Valencia in Laguna Hills, California.  A native of the Philippines, Garcia has worked in kitchens all his life. He grew up cooking at family restaurants, and after graduating from culinary school, he moved to the United States, where he became a certified nutritionist. His skills are in high demand at Sunrise. In addition to his responsibilities at Villa Valencia, he has been asked to assist at the openings of 21 Sunrise communities around the country.

His Orange Avocado Chicken Salad is perfect for a relaxed summer lunch.  You can prepare the chicken ahead of time.

Ingredients

1/4 cup lime juice
2 teaspoons salt
4 cups cubed cooked chicken
2 cups frozen peas, thawed
1 cup coarsely chopped carrots
1/2 cup thinly sliced celery
1/3 cup minced fresh parsley
1 cup mayonnaise or salad dressing
3 tablespoons orange juice
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Torn salad greens
6 medium navel oranges, peeled and sectioned
4 medium ripe avocados, peeled and sliced
1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions

Method

In a small bowl, combine lime juice and ¾ teaspoon salt; cover and refrigerate. In a large bowl, combine the chicken, peas, carrots, celery, and parsley. Combine the mayonnaise, orange juice, pepper and remaining salt; pour over chicken mixture and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour.

Place greens on a serving platter or individual plates. Top with chicken salad; arrange orange sections and avocado slices around salad. Sprinkle with green onions. Drizzle with lime juice mixture.