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Main-Dish Salads

Main-Dish Salads

Say so long to side-dish salads and hello to hearty main-dish salad recipes! Made with good-for-you ingredients plus fun toss-ins such as avocado and roasted squash, these main-dish salads are anything but a side note. Best of all, they each have 10 or more grams of protein—so you know they're dinner-worthy.

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Grilled Steak Salad with Fresh Horseradish Dressing

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That's right, you can have grilled steak for dinner in less than 45 minutes! While the steak is cooking, add the finishing touches to a veggie-filled salad for a hearty, delish weeknight dinner.

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Barley and Edamame Salad with Red Pepper Drizzle

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For a new twist on spinach salad, try this recipe packed with barley and edamame. With a unique roasted red pepper dressing, this salad is anything but boring.

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Mexican Chopped Chicken Salad with Jalapeno Dressing

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With all of the ingredients lined up in rows, this zesty salad is almost too pretty to eat. Not only does it look gorgeous, but serving on a platter lets each diner at the table build his own special salad!

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Cobb Salad Grilled Chicken

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You can never go wrong with a classic Cobb salad. Even when you add grilled chicken breast to this one, it will still only take you 50 minutes to throw together.

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Picadillo-Style Chicken Taco Salad

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Taco salad is a surefire supper star, and the fact that this loaded salad only takes 30 minutes to make is just an added bonus. Top plenty of shredded lettuce with ground chicken, tomatoes, and crushed tostado shells, and this Mexican dinner just might win out over your usual taco night.

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White Bean Tuna Salad

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We're not sure what we love most about this salad: the yummy combination of cannellini beans, tuna, and arugula, or the fact that it only takes 20 minutes to prepare. Either way, it's our go-to choice for an easy and well-balanced dinner!

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Smoked Chicken Salad with Broken Raspberry Vinaigrette

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Think raspberries and greens are an odd couple? Think again! Fresh raspberries help make a mouthwatering vinaigrette for dressing this smoked chicken salad, and sprinkling a few on top at the end adds a delicious burst of freshness.

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Chickpea and Freekah Salad

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Don't stress about dinner tonight—you can make this main-dish salad up to 4 hours ahead of time. With chickpeas, freekah, and avocado, this salad is sure to hold off hunger for hours.

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Delicata Squash Salad with Pork Medallions

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Bacon, pork tenderloin, and satisfying squash make spinach a mere afterthought (a very nutritious afterthought!) in this main-dish salad recipe.

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Quick Scallop and Noodle Salad

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Craving noodles for dinner? Skip the extra carbs and dig in to these zoodles instead. Fresh spinach, cucumber, and radishes help make this salad a veggie-packed meal.

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Tuscan Tuna Salad

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This so-easy salad requires no cooking and is ready in just 10 minutes. Tuna and cannellini beans pack this salad with protein, while arugula and cherry tomatoes crank up the vitamins.

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Power Kale Salad

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Packed with baked chicken breast, orange slices, kale, and pears, this salad is sure to be a satisfying meal. With 35 grams of protein, a serving will definitely make you feel powerful.

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Papaya and Coconut Chicken Salad

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This is no ordinary salad. Coconut-crusted chicken, blueberries, and papaya give this salad more than a touch of sweetness. But it's not all sweet in this salad—cayenne pepper adds a hint of heat.

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Shrimp and Quinoa Salad

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With just five ingredients, it doesn't get much easier than this yummy shrimp salad. Combine grilled shrimp with quinoa, oranges, and spinach, then drizzle with dressing for a hearty and healthy meal.

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Pecan and Collard Chicken Salad

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Chiffonade your way to ribbons upon ribbons of gorgeous greens. Sided with orange slices, bacon, and seasoned chicken, this salad won't be ready to eat until you snap an Insta first.

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Grilled Pork and Veggie Salad

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Hearts of romaine get steamy, thanks to a quick flip on the grill. Pair the charred greens with pork and onions for one of the hottest salads to ever grace your plate.

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Summer Spaghetti Salad

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Spaghetti isn’t the only noodle in this summer salad. String cheese and squash spirals make this seasonal salad as fun to make as it is to eat!

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Chicken and Winter Greens Salad

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No iceberg lettuce here. Turn to radicchio, endive, and kale for a hearty (and colorful) base, then shake it up with our secret Dijon-balsamic dressing.

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Farro and Fruit Salad

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Blueberries, salty pistachios, and pearly farro—could this salad get any better? Drizzle it with lemon vinaigrette for the freshest finish your salad has ever had.

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Sprouts, Avocado, and Apple Salad

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Avocado? You don’t even have to ask. The trendy veggie joins crisp apples and lemon-drizzled sprouts for a surprisingly delish mix. Did we mention there are pumpkin seeds?

Irresistible Avocado Recipes

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Zesty Salmon Pasta Salad

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Salmon never tasted so good thanks to a speedy marinade featuring soy and Asian sweet chili sauce. Lasagna noodles and veggies round out the salad.

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Fried Green Tomato Salad

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The classic crunch-coated Southern appetizer takes center stage in this vibrant vegetarian salad. A can of black-eyed peas offers a strong protein boost, while pan-frying (rather than deep-frying) keeps the calorie count in check.

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Pear and Brussels Sprouts Slaw

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Pears and sprouts: an unlikely duo we can't help but love. Combine with dates, walnuts, and a sprinkling of Parm for sweetness, crunch, and salty tang.

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New Potato, Avocado, and Egg Salad

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Potato salad meets Cobb salad in this summer-inspired stunner. Mix red potatoes, avocado slices, and tomatoes in a creamy mayonnaise dressing, then serve over lettuce with hard-cooked eggs for a hearty and delicious meal.

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Greens and Barley Salad

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This good-for-you salad is about the veggies, but it also has plenty of barley to keep your stomach from growling later. If you want this salad to look even more enticing, slice the carrots into ribbons instead of the usual sticks or cubes.

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Chicken, Tomato, and Cucumber Dinner Salad

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It might be missing traditional greens, but that doesn't make this dinner salad any less good (or good for you!). Skillet-cooking chicken tenders helps you get this meal on the table fast, while fresh tomatoes and cucumbers add a veggie boost.

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Maple Mahi Mahi Salad

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Make your fish dinner even healthier by serving your seafood with a bright green salad. For your next catch of the day, pair mouthwatering mahi mahi with edamame, napa cabbage, and pea pods.

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Spinach Salad with Chicken and Herb-Toasted Walnuts

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This salad starts with plenty of fresh spinach and ends with orange slices, jicama, and a sprinkle of blue cheese. Dressed with a zippy homemade vinaigrette, you'll have no problem convincing even your pickiest eater to finish her spinach.

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