BBQ Chicken Cobb Salad

We love having salads for dinner. In my mind it's a quick and easy meal to fix, but it's also filling and fresh. Caleb will only eat salads that have lots of things in them, so this salad is right up his alley. I am not a fan of the traditional Cobb salad, but only because I don't like bleu cheese. This BBQ Chicken version of the Cobb is more my style, and it's extra filling with the protein from the egg, chicken, and black beans. It's perfect for a summer dinner!

BBQ Chicken Cobb Salad
2 cups cooked, diced chicken
favorite barbecue sauce, to taste
2 cups mixed salad greens
6 strips bacon, cooked and crumbled
3 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and chopped
2 tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1 ripe avocado, cubed (or guacamole)
1 (15 oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (15 oz) can yellow corn, drained
1 cup grated cheddar and/or Monterey jack cheese
favorite ranch and/or honey mustard dressing, to taste
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Toss the chicken with enough barbecue sauce to coat. Season with salt and pepper. (Chicken mixture can be heated under the broiler if you want it warm.)

Pile the lettuce into a shallow serving bowl. Arrange the chicken, bacon, eggs, tomato, avocado, beans, corn, and cheese in thin rows over the letter. Serve with sides of ranch dressing, honey mustard, and barbecue sauce. Makes 2 large or 4 small servings.

source: recipe from the kitchn

Apple-Feta Salad with Chicken, Bacon & Pecans

Does anyone else find it difficult at times to cook for two? I hesitate to make recipes that serve 6-8, because that means we'll be having leftovers 3 and 4 times over. It's nice to have go-to recipes that are easy to throw together for just two people, like chili, pasta dishes, etc. I made this salad the other week, and it has now been added to my list of easy for 2 dinners :) The quantities below serve two, but you can easily customize it to serve however many you need, or switch any of the toppings for those of your choosing. I hope you have a great start to your week!

Apple-Feta Salad with Chicken, Bacon & Pecans
salad greens (I used baby spinach + romaine)
2 chicken breasts, grilled and sliced
4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 apple, chopped
1/4 cup craisins
2 oz crumbled feta
1/4 cup spiced nuts (recipe here)

Layer all salad ingredients on two plates. Serve with vinaigrette (I used raspberry, but you could also use balsamic or another of your favorites).

source: recipe adapted from here

Blackberry Chèvre Salad

As it's the second Monday of the new year, I thought I would share a delicious salad recipe that I recently made. If you're like me, I'm always trying to find new salads to throw together because I quickly tire of throwing some baby spinach and cut veggies together and calling it lunch. This salad uses fresh blackberries, honey goat cheese, and delicious spiced nuts, and is served with a homemade blackberry vinaigrette that brings the entire salad together.

Blackberry Chèvre Salad
for the dressing:
6 oz fresh blackberries, rinsed
3 Tbsp red wine vinegar
1 1/2 Tbsp honey
1/4 cup olive oil
salt & pepper, to taste

for the spiced nuts:
1 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp brown sugar
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
dash of cayenne pepper
salt & pepper, to taste
3/4 cup chopped pecans

to assemble:
mixed salad greens
2 oz honey goat cheese
6 oz fresh blackberries
thinly sliced vidalia onion

To make the dressing, place the berries in a food processor and puree until smooth. Pour the mixture through a fine mesh sieve, pressing out as much fruit puree as possible while removing the seeds. In a liquid measuring cup or jar, combine the blackberry puree with the vinegar, honey, and olive oil. Whisk vigorously until the mixture is well blended and smooth. Season with salt and paper to taste. Chill until ready to serve.

To make the spiced nuts, melt the butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Stir in the brown sugar, cinnamon, cayenne, and salt and pepper to taste. Allow the mixture to heat for about 1 minute, then stir in the chopped nuts. Let cook, stirring occasionally, until the nuts are lightly toasted, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool.

To serve, plate portions of salad greens on salad plates. Top with crumbled goat cheese, fresh blackberries, vidalia onion and the spiced nuts as desired. Drizzle lightly with the blackberry vinaigrette. Serve immediately.

source: recipe from annie's eats