There. Just looking at this bright salad has me convinced that summer is on its way. Because if you live in Michigan you know it is most certainly not. Last Sunday it was a humid 80 degrees and here we are one week later...cold and blustery. And yesterday it snowed. You are such a tease Michigan. No one likes a tease.
A salad is a good fake out into thinking its summer...and also if you don't feel like really cooking. I know salads are a perfectly acceptable meal but I can't help but think they are kind of a culinary cop out. I mean, anyone can throw together a salad. It doesn't take rocket science or much effort really. So I decided to make this cobb salad which does put forth a little extra effort instead of just piling a bunch of ingredients on a plate. You know me, I can't take all the fun out of making dinner.
The good thing about a cobb salad is that you can put just about anything on it that you like. Don't like eggs, don't include them. Open your cupboards and fridge and go to town with whatever you have. If I had some bacon in the house, I would have most definitely included that in this salad. Unfortunately I did not. Cucumber and tomatoes are other great additions. Here's how I put together this salad:
The main ingredient, besides of course the lettuce, is the chicken. I took two boneless skinless chicken breasts and seasoned them with salt and pepper. I like to place them in between two pieces of plastic wrap and bang them with a meat cleaver just to get them a little flatter so they cook faster...and to take out all my pent up frustrations of the day on a defenseless target. Then I place them in a hot cast iron pan with a little olive oil and sear them for about three to four minutes. (Let the meat tell you when it's ready to flip. If after a couple of minutes it sticks to the pan, let it sit another couple of minutes until it lets you turn it without sticking. That is how you know it is ready.) After the flip, I put it in a 375 oven for about 10 minutes or until it is no longer pink in the middle. Take them out of the pan and let them rest on a plate. The good thing about chicken on a salad is that you don't have to keep it warm. Room temp is best.
As the chicken is baking, I like to prep all the veggies. Put the lettuce on the plates, drain and rinse a can of chick peas and line them up in a row on the left side. Place a line of diced red pepper next to the chick peas. Next to the chick peas come in the fattier ingredients so I split the line in half and the top half I put avocado that was diced and tossed in lemon or lime (to prevent it from turning brown) and some chopped hard boiled eggs on the bottom. Next to this, I place a line of carrots that I made into ribbons with a potato peeler. I like the texture of the ribbons instead of just big chunks of carrots. You could also do some shredded carrots if you like but I found the ribbons to be faster. At this point I like to add a little salt and pepper to the vegetables. Then I cut the chicken into strips and place the chicken on top of the salad.
This is a salad that is extremely filling. With the whole chicken breast and all the ingredients (not to mention the salad dressing recipe I'm about to give you) it's not exactly a low cal salad, but I like to think of it in terms of nutrition and this salad has a lot of good for you ingredients: protien from the chicken breast, chick peas and hard boiled eggs, and vitamins from the veg. I like to think that calories don't count if you're eating vegetables and really they shouldn't, no matter what you put on top of them. Unless its bacon grease, then of course you might want to show some resolve.
Honey Mustard Dressing (serves one so multiply accordingly)
The main ingredient, besides of course the lettuce, is the chicken. I took two boneless skinless chicken breasts and seasoned them with salt and pepper. I like to place them in between two pieces of plastic wrap and bang them with a meat cleaver just to get them a little flatter so they cook faster...and to take out all my pent up frustrations of the day on a defenseless target. Then I place them in a hot cast iron pan with a little olive oil and sear them for about three to four minutes. (Let the meat tell you when it's ready to flip. If after a couple of minutes it sticks to the pan, let it sit another couple of minutes until it lets you turn it without sticking. That is how you know it is ready.) After the flip, I put it in a 375 oven for about 10 minutes or until it is no longer pink in the middle. Take them out of the pan and let them rest on a plate. The good thing about chicken on a salad is that you don't have to keep it warm. Room temp is best.
As the chicken is baking, I like to prep all the veggies. Put the lettuce on the plates, drain and rinse a can of chick peas and line them up in a row on the left side. Place a line of diced red pepper next to the chick peas. Next to the chick peas come in the fattier ingredients so I split the line in half and the top half I put avocado that was diced and tossed in lemon or lime (to prevent it from turning brown) and some chopped hard boiled eggs on the bottom. Next to this, I place a line of carrots that I made into ribbons with a potato peeler. I like the texture of the ribbons instead of just big chunks of carrots. You could also do some shredded carrots if you like but I found the ribbons to be faster. At this point I like to add a little salt and pepper to the vegetables. Then I cut the chicken into strips and place the chicken on top of the salad.
This is a salad that is extremely filling. With the whole chicken breast and all the ingredients (not to mention the salad dressing recipe I'm about to give you) it's not exactly a low cal salad, but I like to think of it in terms of nutrition and this salad has a lot of good for you ingredients: protien from the chicken breast, chick peas and hard boiled eggs, and vitamins from the veg. I like to think that calories don't count if you're eating vegetables and really they shouldn't, no matter what you put on top of them. Unless its bacon grease, then of course you might want to show some resolve.
The salad dressing I went with was honey mustard because it is Joe's favorite and I just think a decadent salad like this deserves something a little more substantial then a vinaigrette. You can buy a preservative filled, chemical laden dressing in the store of course if you like (no sarcasm in that sentence at all) but I don't understand why people insist on buying bottle upon bottle of the processed stuff that just sits in your fridge for God knows how long. Most dressings are made of things you already have. Why buy another bottle when you can make a dressing in just the amount you need and that will taste better, fresher and won't be filled with preservatives and chemicals. I just don't get it. The last thing I need is another bottle of something sitting in my fridge. Seriously, making your own dressing makes sense!
Honey Mustard Dressing (serves one so multiply accordingly)1 tablespoon and 1 teaspoon mayonnaise
1 teaspoon prepared mustard
1 teaspoon honey
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
Combine in small bowl.
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