Chicken Fajita Sizzling Salad with Cilantro-Lime Vinaigrette

I love a great salad.  I love ordering salads at restaurants.  It is actually one of my favorite things to eat.  But...I never seem to make great salads.  They just never have the wow that I taste when I order them out.  Until now!  I got this from Iowa Girl Eats and oh my it is good!!  If you love a great salad too, then give this one a try!!  Don't let the ingredient list or steps scare you...it isn't bad!

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Chicken Fajita Sizzling Salad with Cilantro-Lime Vinaigrette

For the marinade:

Juice of 1/2 a lime

1-1/2 tbsp olive oil

1 garlic clove, crushed

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp cumin

1/4 tsp chili powder

1/2 jalapeno, seeded and chopped

2 tbsp chopped cilantro

Combine marinade ingredients in a large bowl, then add two sliced chicken breasts and toss to coat.  Cover then let sit and marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes.

 For the Cilantro-Lime Vinaigrette
Juice of 1/2 lime
1/4 cup cilantro
2 tbsp canola or vegetable oil
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 garlic clove
salt and pepper

Combine ingredients in a food processor or blender and process until smooth. Set aside.

 For salad:

2 chicken breasts, sliced

1/2 onion, thinly sliced

1 zucchini, but into sticks

1 tbsp canola or vegetable oil, divided

6 cups chopped romaine lettuce

1 tomato, cut into wedges

1/2 avocado, chopped (I used a whole avocado!)

Divide lettuce, tomatoes, and avocado between two plates.

 Heat 1/2 tbsp oil in a large skillet.  Remove garlic clove from chicken then carefully add in one layer on the bottom and cook for 1 minute undisturbed.  Stir then saute until cooked through, about a minute or two.  Remove chicken to a plate and set aside.

 Heat remaining 1/2 tbsp oil in skillet and add onions and zucchini.  Cook for 1 minute undisturbed, then stir and saute until tender, about another minute.  Add chicken back into the pot and stir to combine.

 Top salad with cooked chicken mixture and drizzle with Cilantro-Lime Vinaigrette.  

This is so delicious!!!!  The dressing is amazing as is the marinade.  Enjoy!  :)

Hot Chicken Salad

My friend Amy made this years ago at a playdate and I have served it many times since!  It is great for any occasion, or even just for dinner.  It is so easy and never disappoints!

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Hot Chicken Salad

3 cups chopped cooked chicken

2 cups chopped celery (I leave this out...not a fan of celery!)

1 cup toasted, sliced almonds

1 1/2 cup mayo

Shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Crushed BBQ chips

Mix the first 4 ingredients together and put in oven safe bowl or dish.  Cover with cheese and then top with crushed chips. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes and serve hot.

Crazy easy and crazy good!!  Enjoy!  :) 

Chicken Pasta Salad

I don't know about you, but I STRUGGLE with what to eat for lunch every day.  BIG.TIME!  I'm not a sandwich person, unless it is from someplace yummy, so I normally end up eating something random for lunch.  Last week I remembered a recipe that my friend Jessica used to bring to school when someone on our team had a birthday.  It is so yummy and crazy easy.  I decided to make it for dinner one night and then munch on it for lunch for several days.  Best idea ever!  I will definitely be doing this more often!

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Chicken Pasta Salad

1 package rotini noodles cooked and drained (I use the garden kind with the different colors...makes it pretty...because you know, that is important!)

2-3 cups rotisserie chicken, shredded

1 can chopped tomatoes, drained

1 can chopped tomatoes with basil, oregano, and garlic, drained

1 (3 oz) can chopped ripe olives (I'm not an olive fan, so I leave these guys out!)

1 bunch green onions, chopped (I did about 6)

1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese (I did a full cup)

Italian dressing to taste

Ready for EASY...mix all ingredients together!  Seriously, it doesn't get any easier than that!!  I usually let it sit overnight before serving...it seems to just get better. 

I do have to mention that this makes a TON, so it is great for a lunch with the girls or even a shower.  It lasted us DAYS!  Enjoy!  :)

Strawberry Spinach Salad

This is one of my all time favorite salads! I know there are several versions out there, but this is by far the best in my opinion. It is a Pampered Chef recipe and I think I could eat the whole salad myself!

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Strawberry Spinach Salad

Dressing:

1 lemon

2 tablespoons white wine vinegar

1/3 cup sugar

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 teaspoon poppy seeds

Salad:

1/4 cup sliced natural almonds, toasted

8 ounces (1 1/2 cups) strawberries, hulled and quartered

1/2 medium cucumber, sliced and cut in half

1/4 small red onion, sliced into thin wedges (1/4 cup)

1 package (6 ounces) baby spinach

For dressing, zest lemon to measure 1/2 teaspoon zest. Juice lemon to measure 2 tablespoons juice. Combine zest, juice, vinegar, sugar, oil and poppy seeds. Whisk until well blended. Cover; refrigerate until ready to use.

Preheat oven to 350. Spread almonds in a single layer in pan and bake for 10-12 minutes. Remove from oven; cool almonds. (I always do this in my toaster oven and it only takes a few minutes.)

Place spinach in a large serving bowl; add strawberries, cucumber, and onion. Whisk dressing; pour over salad, gently tossing to coat. Sprinkle with almonds. Serve immediately.

Love, love, love this salad! It is perfect for summer!! Enjoy! :)

Southwestern Black Bean Salad

This past weekend, we had a football party to attend and were supposed to bring a side item. Well, I have been pinning recipes on pinterest, but had yet to make one yet, so I figured it was time! This came from Skinnytaste and oh my goodness...SO GLAD I found this website! I definitely will be making more of her recipes! This was so easy, yummy, and best of all, actually good for you! Win, win!

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Southwestern Black Bean Salad

1, 15.5 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained

9 oz frozen corn, thawed

1 tomato, chopped

1 small hass avacado, diced

1/4 cup red onion, chopped

1 scallion, chopped (I forgot this...oops!)

1 lime, juice of

3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 tbsp cilantro

Salt and fresh pepper

Combine beans, corn, tomato, onion, scallion, cilantro, salt and pepper.

(I doubled this recipe if it looks like a lot to you.)

Aren't the colors pretty?? LOVE it!

Mix with lime juice and olive oil. Marinate in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
Add avacado before serving. (Sorry...this picture isn't flipped on my computer, but for some reason it won't quit turning on blogger...grr!)

There were a lot of people eating this, and everyone liked it! I served it with tortilla chips. I did add a little garlic salt because I felt like it needed a little something extra. SO good and fresh! Enjoy! :)

Salad Wraps

This is a recipe that I adapted from a Paula Deen recipe because I didn't have all of the ingredients she called for. It is now my absolute favorite sandwich to eat at home...SO EASY and delish!

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Dena's Salad Wraps!

(Eyeball the ingredients based on how many people you are making these for. The pictures show ingredients for 2 wraps...one regular size and one MAN size!)

Lettuce, chopped

Tomatoes, chopped

1 Avacado, chopped

5-6 slices of turkey, chopped

2 slices of Colby-Jack cheese, cut into squares

4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled

Ranch dressing to taste

Flour tortillas or my favorite...Mission Sun Dried Tomato Basil Wraps

In a medium bowl, place lettuce, tomato, cheese, turkey, avacado, and bacon.

Add ranch dressing; stirring gently to coat with dressing.
Place filling on each tortilla or wrap; roll up and cut in half crosswise.

SUCH a good, light lunch or dinner...YUMMY!! Enjoy! :)

Broccoli Bacon Raisin Salad

OK, so I have a small obsession with the Broccoli Bacon Raisin Salad that Sprouts sells. Small obsession meaning I buy a container of it EVERY week and eat it for lunch. I LOVE it! Since I love it so much I decided that I would try to make it. I searched and searched for a recipe that seemed to be the "right" one...there are a ton of them out there and I desperately wanted mine to taste like the one I buy each week. I finally picked this one from allrecipes.com and it is pretty darn close. I just might have given Sprouts a run for its money!

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Broccoli Bacon Raisin Salad

1 bunch broccoli, washed, drained, and broken into flowerets

1/2 cup chopped red onion

1 pound bacon, fried, drained and crumbled (I did about half that)

1/2 cup hulled sunflower seeds

1/2 cup raisins (I don't care for raisins, so I left these out)

Dressing

3/4 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup sugar

2 Tbsp. vinegar

Combine salad ingredients in a large mixing bowl and set aside. Combine dressing ingredients together thoroughly.

Pour dressing ingredients over salad ingredients. Stir to blend. Serve chilled.

YUM!!! It was so good and I will definitely be making it again...perfect for summer! Enjoy! :)