LUNCH PREP: SUPER SIMPLE SALAD

GRILLED CHICKEN + MIXED GREENS + CRANBERRIES + PECANS

This is a salad that will take you no time to whip up and enjoy on your lunch break from Monday through Friday. It's specifically geared towards all my foodies out there that want to have a delicious and healthy lunch without spending hours prepping on Sunday night. Surprisingly, I've alway strayed away from salads because I was under the impression that they're not filling or I'll be left feeling hungry before dinner time rolls around. With this salad, I didn't have that experience, and I encourage you to put your own twist on it so that you feel the same way. To put simply, these are greens done right. ​

Prep Time:
​10 minutes

Cook Time:
30 minutes

Total Time:
40 minutes

Servings: 5

INGREDIENTS

• Mixed greens
• Baby spinach leaves
• 5 chicken breasts or 4 larger chicken breasts
• 1-2 peppers of your choice (I went with yellow to add some color to my salad)
• Pecans
• Cranberries 
• Balsamic vinaigrette (I used Wish Bone brand)

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Optional Items

• Add blue, feta, or gorgonzola cheese
• Add cucumber

• Add onions
• Substitute pecans and cranberries with Salad Pizzaz!'s Cherry Cranberry Pecano mix (2 packages 3.75 oz)
• Substitute pecans for almonds or walnuts 

​Mildly Spiced Chicken Seasoning

• Garlic powder
• Onion powder
• Black pepper
• Sea salt
• Paprika
• Smoked paprika

DIRECTIONS

This is one of those recipes where you can feel your way through and you'll be just fine. I suggest to start by cooking your chicken breasts. I seasoned mine with the above listed items. Go lighter on the salt and black paper. Go heavier on the paprika, onion and garlic powder. Cook the chicken on a non-stick grill pan until all sides are done.  This should take 25-30 minutes. If you're not sure if the chicken is done, check by cutting into the center. Even if it is, you can put it in the oven for 5-10 minutes just to be sure it has reached the right temperature (165 degrees Fahrenheit). While your chicken is in the oven or resting, chop up vegetables of your choice. Rinse your mixed greens and baby spinach with water. I pat my leaves dry with a paper towel, but letting it air dry works too. You can also chop up the pecans. If you use the Cherry Cranberry Pecano mix, the nuts will already be chopped into bite-size pieces.

LITTLE INSIGHTS

• Plan to pick up more salad halfway through the week as salad doesn't keep for very long in the refrigerator. On both occasions, make sure you pay close attention to the 'best by' date.
• If your salad is similar in size to mine, as shown in the pictures above, you'll only need a little less than 1/4 of a cup of salad dressing for each serving. If you like to have a lot of salad dressing, I suggest preparing to pack more.
• Invest in a small liquid container so that your salad won't be welted or soggy by the time you eat it. You can find them at your local grocery. 

Let me know what you think of this super simple salad in the comments below. Until next time, stay beYOUtiful, keep life sweet, and never stop feeding your soul. -xo