My good friend Stacey had the girls over the other week to catch up and enjoy dinner together. She whipped us up a light, delicious salad that her mom always makes her. I fell in love with it and asked her if I could share it with you fine folks. This is super quick to make and is perfect for lunch or a light dinner. Salads don’t typically fill me up enough but this one is wholesome and very satisfying!
-Melanie
Health tips: Heart healthy; low carb, diabetes friendly and anti-inflammatory (if pasta removed or wheat used); low fat
Ingredients (2 servings)
- 1 1/2 cups of chicken breast, shredded into medium bite-sized pieces (Tip: I buy a whole roasted chicken from store deli section. They are so worth it. Not only are they convenient, but they are only around $6.99 each, and can be used for various meals.)
- 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon jarred garlic, minced (Tip: Jarred is milder, so if you only have fresh, just sauté a bit.)
- 1 cup bowtie pasta, cooked and cooled
- 4 cups fresh baby spinach (Tip: I love the flavor of peppery arugula so I buy the mixed spinach/arugula package.)
- 1/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes, bite-sized or strips
- 1/4 cup olives, sliced
- 2 pieces of bacon, cooked, crisp and crumbled
- 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded, plus extra for garnish
- Pepper, to taste
- 1/3 cup Italian dressing (Tip: If you remove the pasta, start with less dressing and adjust.)
Steps
- In a medium bowl, toss the chicken in Italian seasoning and garlic.
- Once the pasta is cool, add that and the rest of the ingredients to the chicken, and toss.
- Garnish with a bit more cheese on top and enjoy!
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