Free Meal Plan: Southwest Chicken Salad

It's comfort food this week, with a twist! We had a busy week and these recipes definitely fit the bill, as some things I could make ahead and then freeze the leftovers for the weekend. In some cases, I had to bribe people not to polish off the leftovers before I could snap a photo.

What's better than a bowl of meaty pasta, topped with chunks of salty feta? This sauce is pure comfort food. The time it takes to simmer on your stove is well worth it!

Lamb Pasta Sauce

Whole wheat egg noodles

Garlic bread

Don't be afraid of eggplant! In this recipe it's breaded and baked, then layered with spaghetti sauce and cheese. The leftovers are always fought over in my house and it's amazing with some garlic bread to sop up the sauce.

Eggplant Parmesan

Tossed green salad

breadsticks

I love a spicy, filling soup, and this one is choc full of tender pieces of chicken, brown rice, and veggies. It can be made ahead and freezes well, too!

Chicken Mulligatawny Soup

Raw Veggies and dip

Naan bread

These sloppy joes aren't all meat, but instead have veggies, brown rice, and beans tucked inside! We love them-and you can even use the filling in wraps and top them with a bit of cheese.

Sloppy Joes

Tater wedges

Tossed Salad

Southwest Chicken Salad

Dinner rolls

I honestly can't remember where I found this recipe, but it's a nice light dinner that incorporates a lot of veggies. The chicken is delicious, and makes great leftovers the next day. You might end up with a lot of dressing, but it is delicious and it keeps well in the fridge.

1 cup vegetable oil

1/3 cup dijon mustard

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

2 Tbsp lime juice

2 Tbsp chopped cilantro

1 Tbsp dried red chili flakes

3 whole boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1/2 cup sour cream (light is okay)

2 bags of mixed greens (enough for 6 people)

1 ripe avocado, cut into chunks

one 4.5 fl oz can of black olives

1 sweet yellow pepper, sliced

cherry tomatoes

In a blender or food processor, blend the vegetable oil, dijon mustard, red wine vinegar, lime juice, cilantro, and red chili flakes until smooth. Place half in a sealed container and chill. Marinate the chicken breasts in the other half of the dressing for 12 hours or overnight.

Grill the chicken on a foil lined pan until no longer pink and cooked through (even on the BBQ would be great!). Cool and slice thinly.

To make the dressing, blend the remaining reserved marinade (that you didn't put with the chicken) in a food processor with the avocado chunks and sour cream until smooth.

When it's time to serve, divide the greens between the plates. Top with black olives, cherry tomatoes, and pieces of sweet yellow pepper. Top with the cooled chicken and serve with the dressing on the side.

Serves 6

About the Author Karen (aka Scattered Mom) has been passionate about food since the 1970s, when she created tasty treats from her Easy Bake oven. Literally thrown into the kitchen at the tender age of 21 when she became foster Mom to 4 teenagers, it was pretty much a do or die situation. Her specialty? Cookies. Her real passion? Writing. Put them together with a marriage to a guy 20 years older, their own teenager, and life on the West Coast of Canada, and you have her blog, Notes from the Cookie Jar. Posted by Karen Humphrey in free meal plans on January 16, 2010 More from this author  |  Author Website Follow Karen Humphrey on:  |

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0 # yiwu jewelry market 2011-02-15 22:18

Great post! I’ve bookmarked your blog. Best Regards!

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