Chicken salad from new cookbook has 'high-protein focus'

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New cookbook author makes zesty southwest chicken salad with cilantro vinaigrette

Alaska mother Danielle Lima shows Fox News Digital how she makes her zesty southwest chicken salad with cilantro vinaigrette from her new cookbook "High-Protein Macros Made Easy."

An Alaska mother who began tracking her macros (macronutrients) after a pregnancy caused her to gain 80 pounds decided to create recipes that could help her lose weight and feed her family.

That led Danielle Lima of Anchorage, Alaska, to create her website, Oh Snap Macros, and eventually write her first cookbook, "Macros Made Easy: 60 Quick and Delicious Recipes for Hitting Your Protein, Fat and Carb Goals," in 2024.

Her newest cookbook, "High-Protein Macros Made Easy: 75 Standout Recipes to Help You Build Muscle, Burn Fat and Stay Satiated," was just released. 

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"I would consider this the sequel, but with a high-protein focus," Lima told Fox News Digital. 

In the new cookbook, Lima said she provides "a really great understanding of what macros are" and focused on balancing carbs and fats.

Danielle Lima's zesty southwest chicken salad with cilantro vinaigrette recipe appears in her new cookbook, "High-Protein Macros Made Easy." (Sierra Ashleigh Photography)

For her sophomore book, Lima said, she wanted to put the spotlight on high-protein recipes, "so I have things like a protein index in the back of the book."

Lima's zesty southwest chicken salad with cilantro vinaigrette, for example, contains 38 grams of protein per serving. 

It was inspired by the barbecue ranch chopped salad she would often order at California Pizza Kitchen, Lima said.

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"It has a taco seasoning on the chicken," Lima said of her salad recipe. 

"So, the chicken and the beans and the corn are super flavorful. And then it just has a ton of vegetables – and the dressing packs in another punch. So, you've still got tons of flavor, you've still got tons of healthy ingredients and you're not sacrificing with tons of calories."

Zesty Southwest Chicken Salad with Cilantro Vinaigrette by Danielle Lima

Gluten-free

"Never underestimate the power of a salad – it's one of the easiest ways to pack in protein," said Lima. "This zesty salad is bursting with bold flavors and a cilantro vinaigrette you'll want to drizzle on everything. Customize it to your liking by adding your favorite salad toppings and mix-ins for a meal that's as unique as you are."

Nutrition

Total Servings: 5

Serving size: 13? oz (380g) without optional toppings

Calories: 474

Macros per serving

Protein: 38 g 

Carbs: 29 g 

Total Fat: 25 g

Lima speaks to Fox News Digital from the kitchen of her Alaska home as she stands behind a counter with the ingredients needed to make her salad. It contains 38 grams of protein per serving. (Fox News Digital)

Other nutrition

Cholesterol: 110 mg 

Sodium: 774 mg 

Potassium: 1042 mg 

Dietary Fiber: 8 g 

Sugars: 9 g

Taco seasoning

1 tsp salt

1 tsp onion powder

1 tsp garlic powder

2 tsp (4 g) paprika

1 tbsp (8 g) chili powder

1? tbsp (9 g) ground cumin

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Southwest chicken

1? lb (675 g) boneless skinless chicken breast, cubed

1 tbsp (15 ml) olive oil, divided

1 (15?-oz [432-g]) can canned corn, drained or fresh corn grilled and cut off the cob

1 cup (172 g) black beans, drained and rinsed

Cilantro dressing

2 cups (32 g) fresh cilantro

1 garlic clove

? cup (60 ml) lime juice

2 tsp (14 g) honey

? tsp salt

1 tbsp (15 ml) balsamic vinegar

? cup (80 ml) extra virgin olive oil

Lima told Fox News Digital that her cilantro vinaigrette dressing on the zesty southwest chicken salad "packs in another punch." (Sierra Ashleigh Photography)

Salad

7 cups (300 g) chopped romaine lettuce (about 3 heads)

1 cup (170 g) halved cherry tomatoes

? cup (80 g) finely chopped red onion

2 oz (57 g) Cotija cheese, crumbled

Fresh cracked pepper

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Optional toppings

Cilantro

Avocado

Tortilla strips

Cottage cheese (for added protein)

Directions

1. Add the salt, onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, chili powder and cumin to a small mixing bowl. Reserve 1? tablespoons (14 g) for the chicken and save the rest to use later.

2. Add the cubed chicken to a large mixing bowl with ? tablespoon (7 ml) olive oil and the reserved 1? tablespoons (14 g) of taco seasoning. Stir to mix and evenly coat the chicken.

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3. Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add the remaining olive oil. Once hot, add the chicken in a single layer and sear for 4 minutes without touching it. Flip and sear the chicken for an additional 3 to 4 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and no longer pink. Remove the chicken and set it aside.

"This zesty salad is bursting with bold flavors and a cilantro vinaigrette you'll want to drizzle on everything," Lima said. (Sierra Ashleigh Photography)

4. Add the corn to the same pan you cooked the chicken in and sear for 3 to 5 minutes to get the corn nice and charred. Remove it from the heat and add it to the cooked chicken along with the black beans.

5. In a blender or food processor, combine the cilantro, garlic, lime juice, honey, salt, balsamic vinegar, olive oil and ? cup (60 ml) water. Blend to combine, leaving some chunks of cilantro. Set the dressing aside.

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6. In a large bowl, combine chopped romaine lettuce, tomatoes, red onion, Cotija cheese, fresh cracked pepper and the chicken mixture, then top it with the dressing. Mix everything to fully coat with the dressing and combine the ingredients. Top the mixed salad with lots of fresh cracked pepper and, if using, cilantro, avocado, tortilla strips and cottage cheese.

Note: Make this salad dressing and use it in all of your favorite salad combos for the week.

Reprinted with permission from "High-Protein Macros Made Easy" by Danielle Lima. Page Street Publishing Co. copyright ? 2025.