Maintaining a balanced diet doesn’t have to be complicated, and protein salads are great allies in this process. In addition to being light and versatile, they help promote satiety and provide essential nutrients for the proper functioning of the body.

According to nutritionist Elaine Rodrigues, including a source of protein in salads it makes all the difference in the nutritional value of the meal. “When we add proteins, such as chicken, eggs or chickpeas, we make the salad more complete, which helps to avoid hunger spikes throughout the day and contributes to the maintenance of muscle mass”, he explains.

Below, the nutritionist shares a practical and tasty protein salad recipe to include on the menu. Check it out!

Ingredients

Salad

• 1 cup of tea chicken breast grilled and shredded
• 1/2 cup chopped iceberg lettuce
• 1/2 cup arugula
• 1/2 carrot, peeled and grated
• 1/2 cucumber cut into slices
• 6 cherry tomatoes cut in half
• 1 tablespoon of seeds (chia or flaxseed)

Sauce

• 2 tablespoons of natural yogurt
• 1 teaspoon of olive oil
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• Salt and ground black pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoons mustard

Preparation mode

Salad

In a container, place the lettuce and arugula leaves. Add the shredded chicken, carrots, cucumber and cherry tomatoes. Finish with the seeds. Reserve.

Sauce

In a container, mix all the sauce ingredients until you obtain a homogeneous consistency. Drizzle the salad when serving.

In addition to being practical, the recipe can be adapted according to preferences. “It is possible to vary the protein source, using tuna, boiled egg or even vegetable options, such as chickpeas. The important thing is to maintain a balance between the food groups”, concludes Elaine Rodrigues.

By Beatriz Bernardo