Recipe for Fresh Apple and Pear Chicken Salad

Light chicken salad recipe with fresh apples, pears, and feta cheese tossed in a zesty lemon dressing developed by the California Culinary Centers for school food service and menu planning.

Apple, Pear Chicken Salad

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Yields 50 Servings

This recipe yields 50–2⅝ cup servings of Apple, Pear Chicken Salad.

Ingredients

Ingredients list includes measure by weight or volume. Choose one measure, either weight or volume, for the ingredient. Weight is listed first in bold.

6 pounds and 4 ounces frozen full-cooked diced chicken (U.S. Department of Agriculture [USDA] food item)
4¼ pounds as purchased (AP) fresh kale with stems
6 pounds AP fresh spinach leaves
9 pounds AP or 27 divided fresh lemons
3 pounds and 6 ounces AP or 25 fresh whole red or green apples (USDA food item)
7 pounds AP or 25 fresh whole pears (USDA food item)
2 teaspoons table salt
2 teaspoons ground black pepper
1 quart and 2¼ cups olive oil
1 pound and 2½ ounces or 6⅔ bunches fresh cilantro
1 pound and 9 ounces unsalted hulled sunflower seeds (USDA food item)
1 pound and 9 ounces low-sodium feta cheese

Directions

Thaw chicken in refrigerator at 41°F or lower, one to two days in advance. Critical Control Point (CCP): Thaw chicken in refrigerator at 41°F or lower.
Rinse kale and spinach leaves under cold running water. Trim and remove kale stems.
Place spinach and kale in 12 gallon bowl, toss to combine.
Squeeze 2 lemons for juice. Add juice to 1 gallon of cold water, set aside for apples. Squeeze 2 lemons for juice. Add juice to 1 gallon of cold water, set aside for pears.
Rinse apples under cool running water. Core, slice, remove seeds, and chop apples into ½ inch pieces. Place chopped apples into one bowl of lemon-water to avoid browning of apples.
Rinse pears under cool running water. Core, slice, remove seeds, and chop pears into ½ inch pieces. Place chopped pears into one bowl of lemon water to avoid browning of pears.
Place fully-cooked diced chicken in one–12 inch by 20 inch by 6 inch pan. CCP: Hold chicken in refrigerator at 41°F or lower.
Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper, toss.

To Prepare Fresh Lemon Dressing

Squeeze remaining lemons for juice to measure 1 quart and 2¼ cups in large container for dressing.
Pour 2 tablespoons of oil and 2 tablespoons of lemon juice into 2-ounce portion containers, place lids on containers. Set aside dressing.
Rinse cilantro under cool running water. Chop cilantro, set aside.

To Assemble Individual Salads

Place 1½ cups or three number 8 scoops of kale and spinach mixture into 8 inch by 8 inch by 2 inch individual containers with lids or individual entrée-size salad containers.
Place 2 ounces or ⅜ cup or one number 10 scoop of chicken in middle of salad.
Place ¼ cup or one number 16 scoop of diced apples on left side of salad containers.
Place ¼ cup or one number 16 scoop of diced pears on right side of salad containers.
Place ½ ounce or 2 tablespoons of sunflower seeds and ½ ounce or 2 tablespoons of feta cheese on top of salad.
Sprinkle 2 teaspoons of chopped cilantro on top of salad.
Place dressing containers with salads. Close lids of salad containers. Hold for service and refrigerate at 41°F or lower. CCP: Hold salad in refrigerator at 41°F or lower.
Serve one individual salad with dressing for each serving.

Nutritional Analysis

Calories, in K calories: 588
Carbohydrates, in grams: 32.9
Protein, in grams: 26.1
Saturated fat, in grams: 7.5
Trans fat, in grams: 0
Total fat, in grams: 41.3
Sodium, in milligrams: 285.2

Recipe Options

The CA Culinary Centers have calculated and tested the yields for this standardized recipe. You may choose to vary the spices in the recipe to meet the taste preferences of your students. For example, using a 1.5 to 2 ratio for spices when doubling the recipe yield from 50 to 100. However, changing or substituting any other ingredients may result in a different yield, meal contribution, or dietary specification, and should be considered a different recipe. To learn more about how to standardize your recipe visit the CA Culinary Centers Standardized Recipes web page Resources tab.

Yields 100 Servings

This recipe yields 100–2⅝ cup servings of Apple, Pear Chicken Salad.

Ingredients

Ingredients list includes measure by weight or volume. Choose one measure, either weight or volume, for the ingredient. Weight is listed first in bold.

12 pounds and 8 ounces frozen full-cooked diced chicken (U.S. Department of Agriculture [USDA] food item)
8½ pounds as purchased (AP) fresh kale with stems
12 pounds AP fresh spinach leaves
18 pounds AP or 54 divided fresh lemons
6 pounds and 12 ounces AP or 50 fresh whole red or green apples (USDA food item)
14 pounds AP or 50 fresh whole pears (USDA food item)
1 tablespoon and 1 teaspoon table salt
1 tablespoon and 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
3 quarts and ½ cup olive oil
2 pounds and 5 ounces or 13⅓ bunches fresh cilantro
3 pounds and 2 ounces unsalted hulled sunflower seeds (USDA food item)
3 pounds and 2 ounces low-sodium feta cheese

Directions

Thaw chicken in refrigerator at 41°F or lower, one to two days in advance. Critical Control Point (CCP): Thaw chicken in refrigerator at 41°F or lower.
Rinse kale and spinach leaves under cold running water. Trim and remove kale stems.
Place spinach and kale in 12 gallon bowl, toss to combine.
Squeeze 2 lemons for juice. Add juice to 1 gallon of cold water, set aside for apples. Squeeze 2 lemons for juice. Add juice to 1 gallon of cold water, set aside for pears.
Rinse apples under cool running water. Core, slice, remove seeds, and chop apples into ½ inch pieces. Place chopped apples into one bowl of lemon-water to avoid browning of apples.
Rinse pears under cool running water. Core, slice, remove seeds, and chop pears into ½ inch pieces. Place chopped pears into one bowl of lemon water to avoid browning of pears.
Place fully-cooked diced chicken in two–12 inch by 20 inch by 6 inch pans. CCP: Hold chicken in refrigerator at 41°F or lower.
Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper, toss.

To Prepare Fresh Lemon Dressing

Squeeze remaining lemons for juice to measure 3 quarts and ½ cup in large container for dressing.
Pour 2 tablespoons of oil and 2 tablespoons lemon juice into 2-ounce portion containers, place lids on containers. Set aside dressing.
Rinse cilantro under cool running water. Chop cilantro, set aside.

To Assemble Individual Salads

Place 1½ cups or three number 8 scoops kale and spinach mixture into 8 inch by 8 inch by 2 inch individual containers with lids or individual entrée-size salad containers.
Place 2 ounces or ⅜ cup or one number 10 scoop chicken in middle of salad.
Place ¼ cup or one number 16 scoop diced apples on left side of salad containers.
Place ¼ cup or one number 16 scoop diced pears on right side of salad containers.
Place ½ ounce or 2 tablespoons sunflower seeds and ½ ounce or 2 tablespoons feta on top of salad.
Sprinkle 2 teaspoons chopped cilantro on top of salad.
Place dressing containers with salads. Close lids of salad containers. Hold for service and refrigerate at 41°F or lower. CCP: Hold salad in refrigerator at 41°F or lower.
Serve one individual salad with dressing for each serving.

Nutritional Analysis

Calories, in K calories: 588
Carbohydrates, in grams: 32.9
Protein, in grams: 26.1
Saturated fat, in grams: 7.5
Trans fat, in grams: 0
Total fat, in grams: 41.3
Sodium, in milligrams: 285.2

Recipe Options

General Recipe Information

Serving Suggestion

Yield 50 or yield 100–2⅝ cup salads with dressing

Contribution to Meal Pattern

The contribution to the meal pattern for this recipe is based on the suggested serving size above.

3 ounce equivalents meat/meat alternative
½ cup fruit
¾ cup vegetables (¾ dark green)

If you decide to modify this recipe or serving size, you may use the tools available on the CA Culinary Centers Standardized Recipes web page Resources tab to create your own standardized recipe or find the contribution to the meal pattern.