Everyone takes short cuts now and then. Whether you need to save time, or your sanity, or you just aren’t feelin’ it, there is nothing wrong with a good shortcut. I use the Perdue Shortcuts Grilled Chicken for this salad that tastes like you grilled it yourself. All you have to do is heat it up in the microwave or the oven for tender and juicy chicken. You don’t have to use this brand of chicken, but I find that these chicken slices come out of the packaging in big pieces, not little shreds or bits. This salad was a creation that would never have made it to the table it I hadn’t had a proper substitute for the chicken. This was definitely a day that I didn’t have it in me to do my thang, ya’ know?
Ingredients
4 cups fresh spinach (I always eyeball the amount I place in a bowl)
1 container heirloom cherry tomatoes
1/2 cup pistachios
1 can sliced water chestnuts, drained
2 hard-boiled eggs, sliced
1 bag Perdue Shortcuts Grilled Chicken
For the Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing:
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp. monk fruit sweetened maple syrup
2 tsp. Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1 clove garlic, minced
Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Place some fresh spinach in two bowls. I guesstimate that two handfuls are about 2 cups. Since there are only two salad eaters in my house, I make salads by the bowl instead of a big bowl of it.
Add the heirloom tomatoes. You can cut them in half if you like. Sometimes, they are quite big.
Divide the pistachios in half and sprinkle over each bowl.
Divide the water chestnuts between the two bowls.
Place some of the Perdue Shortcuts Chicken strips on the top of each bowl. You can heat the chicken in the microwave or at room temperature. I have had this salad both ways, and I can tell you that either way is good.
Spread the sliced hard-boiled egg over the chicken.
You can use your favorite salad dressing or make your own. I whipped up a simple balsamic dressing on this day. To make the dressing, use equal parts of extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Add some salt and pepper, minced garlic, Italian seasoning and a squeeze of lemon juice. Whisk and pour over the salad to serve.
Shortcut Chicken Salad
Equipment
- 1 knife
- 1 Small bowl
Ingredients
- 4 cups fresh spinach (I always eyeball the amount I place in a bowl)
- 1 container heirloom cherry tomatoes
- 1/2 cup pistachios
- 1 can sliced water chestnuts, drained
- 2 hard-boiled eggs, sliced
- 1 bag Perdue Shortcuts Grilled Chicken
- For the Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing:
- 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 Tbssp. monk fruit sweetened maple syrup
- 2 tsp. Dijon mustard
- 1/2 tsp. dried thyme
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Place some fresh spinach in two bowls. I guesstimate that two handfuls are about 2 cups.
- Add the heirloom tomatoes. You can cut them in half if you like.
- Divide the pistachios in half and sprinkle over each bowl.
- Divide the water chestnuts between the two bowls.
- Place some of the Perdue Shortcuts Chicken strips on the top of each bowl. You can heat the chicken in the microwave or at room temperature.
- Spread the sliced hard-boiled egg over the chicken.
- You can use your favorite salad dressing or make your own. For a simple balsamic dressing, use equal parts of extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar in a bowl. Add some salt and pepper, minced garlic, Dijon mustard, monk fruit sweetened maple syrup and thyme. Whisk and pour over the salad to serve.
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