I guess I’m way behind the times because until recently I had never heard of Sugar Kiss melons. I have had this recipe for cantaloupe filled with a fruity chicken salad in my ‘file’ for many years. Each summer when we are sizzling in the summer heat, it’s one of those cool, main dish salads that is so nice to serve. It checks all the boxes — easy to make, great tasting and a visual treat. I have seen it on many websites so others must enjoy it as well.
So, I’m at the grocery store searching for the ‘ultimate’ cantaloupe when I spot some melons called ‘Sugar Kiss’. I decided to buy one for my salad. Wow! What a bonus that turned out to be. Curious, I tried to find out a bit more about them. It seems the growers have developed a whole family of melons under the ‘Kiss’ name. Along with Sugar Kiss comes Summer Kiss, Golden Kiss and Honey Kiss.
The Sugar Kiss melon seems to have originated from Taiwan. It has the outside and inside appearance of a cantaloupe but that’s where the similarities end. The flesh is soft and unbelievably juicy, so much that when you eat it down to the rind you can still squeeze some juice onto your spoon. The flavor is rich and exceptionally sweet.
I hope you find time to give this recipe a try using the Sugar Kiss melon. If you like this kind of a combination it will certainly be for you.
Servings |
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- 2 medium Sugar Kiss melons
- 2 cups chicken, cooked, cold, diced
- 1/2 cup green grapes, seedless
- seeds from 1 pomegranate
- 1 kiwi, sliced
- 1/4 cup lime juice
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1/4 tsp EACH coriander & nutmeg
Ingredients
Melon / Filling
Lime - Honey dressing
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- Before cutting, wash melons well, (preferably with a natural fruit & veggie wash). Cut each melon in half making zigzag cuts. Scoop out; discarding seeds & membrane. Remove melon fruit & cut into bite-size pieces; draining melon pieces as well as the shells (of course, drinking the juice).
- Mix melon pieces with chicken & spoon equal portions into the empty shells. Top with grapes & pomegranate seeds. Garnish with sliced kiwi.
- In a small dish, combine dressing ingredients & mix well. Pour over filled melons & serve.
- For the cooked chicken I used the 'Picnic Oven Fried Chicken' recipe from the blog I had posted on April 11/16. I used boneless/skinless chicken breasts.
- Bread sticks make a tasty add-on to this salad, if preferred.
- Make sure you spare yourself the mess when you seed your pomegranate by doing it in a bowl of water.