For 2: South West Chicken Salad

I am lucky enough to have a husband who is fine with eating a salad for dinner, as long as it includes meat and cheese as toppings.  I am totally fine with this because everyone needs protein and who doesn’t love cheese!  So considering our apartment currently looks like an episode of Hoarders (crazy, train wreck obsession show) I needed to make a quick, easy dinner so that I could concentrate on the more important task of organizing the wedding gifts, newly moved in boy mess, and general disaster that is now our life and get the apartment looking like a home…Enter South West Chicken Salad.  

 

Finished Product, topped with Fritos!  YUM!

Ingredients:
2 chicken breasts
1 tblsp Red Wine Vinegar
1 tblsp Olive Oil
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp paparika
apx 2 c mixed salad greens (whatever you like)
1/2 can kidney beans
1/2 c kernel corn (I use the frozen kind)
1/2 red onion
about 5-8 cherry tomatoes
1/2 c shredded cheddar cheese
French style dressing

I use frozen corn and just pull out what I need and I freeze the other half of the can of beans and just pull them out the next time I need a salad topping.

For the chicken: mix the red wine vinegar, chili powder and paparika; while stirring stream in the olive oil.  Pour over chicken in an air tight container and put in the fridge for a little bit.  I only had 25 minutes, and that was just fine - don't stress about it! 

Prepare your ingredients - rinse the beans, quarter the tomatoes (season them with salt and pepper-makes a big difference), and dice the onion.   Heat a skillet over medium high heat with some olive oil and cook the chicken about 4-5 minutes on each side, until cooked through. 

In a large bowl mix the salad greens, beans, tomatoes, corn, onion and cheese and top with dressing!  Toss to evenly coat all ingredients.

 

Roughly dice chicken



Place salad mixture into serving bowls and top with chicken and make a terrible shadow with your arm while taking a picture



And the best part - the crunch - the part that makes your husband you really love this salad - TOP WITH FRITOS!  Because Fritos are so much better than crutons!  Enjoy!