Description
A vibrant and crunchy Green Goddess Nugget Salad featuring crispy air-fried chicken nuggets atop a fresh medley of cabbage, romaine, cucumber, and peas, all tossed in a creamy, herbaceous green goddess dressing. Perfect for a quick and tasty lunch or light dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken Nuggets
- 16 frozen chicken nuggets
- Cooking spray
Salad
- 4 cups green cabbage, finely shredded
- 1 cup romaine lettuce, chopped
- 1 cup cucumber, diced
- 1 cup sugar snap peas, thinly sliced
- ½ cup green onions, thinly sliced
- ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
- ¼ cup fresh basil, chopped
Dressing
- ½ cup Greek yogurt
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup fresh parsley leaves
- ¼ cup fresh basil leaves
- 2 tablespoons fresh chives
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
- 1 clove garlic
- 2 anchovy fillets (optional)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat Air Fryer: Set the air fryer to 400°F (200°C) and allow it to heat fully to ensure even cooking of the nuggets.
- Cook Chicken Nuggets: Arrange the frozen chicken nuggets in a single layer inside the air fryer basket, lightly spray them with cooking spray, and air fry for 10 to 12 minutes. Turn them once halfway through cooking until they are golden and crisp. Remove from the air fryer, let them cool slightly, then cut into bite-sized pieces.
- Combine Salad Ingredients: In a large bowl, mix the finely shredded green cabbage, chopped romaine lettuce, diced cucumber, thinly sliced sugar snap peas, green onions, chopped parsley, and chopped basil until well combined.
- Prepare Dressing: In a blender or food processor, blend together Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, fresh parsley leaves, basil leaves, fresh chives, lemon juice, white wine vinegar, garlic, anchovy fillets (if using), salt, and black pepper until smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
- Dress the Salad: Pour the dressing over the combined salad ingredients and toss thoroughly to ensure every piece is evenly coated with the creamy dressing.
- Assemble and Serve: Top the dressed salad with the warm, crispy chicken nugget pieces and serve immediately for the best texture and flavor.
Notes
- For a vegetarian version, omit the chicken nuggets or use a plant-based alternative and skip the anchovy fillets in the dressing.
- Adjust the amount of lemon juice and vinegar in the dressing to your taste preference for acidity.
- Air frying the nuggets keeps them crispy without added oil, making this a healthier dish option.
- The fresh herbs in the dressing are key to achieving the classic Green Goddess flavor—use fresh for best results.
- If you don’t have an air fryer, you can bake the nuggets in a preheated oven at 400°F (200°C) for 15–20 minutes or until crispy.
