Ingredients
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1/2 cup (60 g) hazelnuts, blanched (skinned) if you can find them
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3 tablespoons (45 g) fresh lemon juice, plus 1 teaspoon finely grated zest (about 1 large lemon)
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2 teaspoons (10 g) Dijon mustard, such as Grey Poupon
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1 small shallot (about 30 g), minced
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1/2 teaspoon fine salt
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1/2 teaspoon black pepper
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3 tablespoons (40 g) extra-virgin olive oil
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1 lb (454 g) Brussels sprouts, trimmed
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12 oz (340 g) cooked chicken breast, shredded or sliced (about 2 1/2 cups); rotisserie works, see Make It Yours
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1/4 cup (15 g) chopped flat-leaf parsley
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1 oz (28 g) parmesan, shaved with a vegetable peeler (about 1/3 cup shavings)
Allergens Contains: Milk (parmesan), tree nuts (hazelnuts). Also contains mustard (Dijon), a regulated allergen in Canada and the EU.
Instructions
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1
Toast the hazelnuts in a dry skillet over medium heat, shaking often, 6 to 8 minutes, until fragrant and golden in spots. If they have skins, rub them in a clean towel to knock off the loose ones. Cool, then chop roughly.
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2
In a large bowl, whisk the lemon juice and zest, Dijon, shallot, salt and pepper. Let it sit 5 minutes so the shallot mellows, then whisk in the oil until the dressing looks creamy and doesn't separate right away.
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3
Halve the sprouts through the stem and slice them as thinly as you can with a sharp knife or mandoline, discarding the hard stem ends; a food processor slicing disc is fastest. You should have about 6 cups of loose ribbons. Add them to the bowl and toss with your hands for a minute, until every shred glistens and the leaves soften slightly. Let stand 10 minutes.
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4
Add the chicken, parsley and most of the hazelnuts and parmesan, and toss again. Scatter the rest on top. Taste a forkful and add another squeeze of lemon or grind of pepper if it needs brightening.
Meal Prep Tip
Dressed sprouts hold up far better than lettuce: the salad keeps 3 days in the fridge and turns a little more slaw-like by day two. Pack the hazelnuts separately and add them just before eating so they stay crunchy.
Storage & Food Safety
Refrigerate at 40°F or below and eat within 3 days. If you cook the chicken yourself, take it to 165°F. Keep the salad out of the fridge no more than 2 hours (1 hour above 90°F), and pack it with an ice pack for work. Whole or chopped hazelnuts are a choking risk for children under 4; grind them finely or leave them out.
Make It Yours
Budget or pantry-only
Use 12 oz rotisserie chicken meat, skin removed, and skip the added salt. Rotisserie chicken is already seasoned, so sodium lands about the same, near 500 mg a serving.
Nut-free
Swap the hazelnuts for 1/2 cup (60 g) toasted pumpkin seeds. Adds about 2 g protein per serving with slightly less fat, and keeps the crunch.
Dairy-free
Leave out the parmesan and add an extra teaspoon of lemon zest. Saves about 110 mg sodium and 1 g saturated fat; costs about 2 g protein a serving.
Vegetarian
Replace the chicken with 8 quartered hard-boiled eggs and use a vegetarian parmesan. Protein drops to about 22 g a serving and fat rises about 6 g; calories stay roughly the same.
If you don't like Brussels sprouts
Use 1 lb finely shredded green cabbage instead. Net carbs drop about 2 g and protein about 2 g per serving, and the salad gets milder and juicier.
Heartier
Toss in 1/2 cup cooked farro per serving. Adds about 100 calories and 19 g net carbs, to roughly 28 g, which moves it out of low-carb and into our complex-carb range.
Nutrition
Per serving (about 2 cups, 255 g) — estimate, salad only.
Calories
410
Net Carbs
9g
Total Carbs
15g
Fiber
6g
Total Sugars
4g
Added Sugars
0g
Protein
35g
Fat
24g
Saturated Fat
4g
Sodium
550mg
Nutrition pending review by our registered dietitian — estimate only. Not medical advice.
Keywords
LunchHigh ProteinNo-CookBrussels SproutsHealthy FatsLow-Carb
