Greek Chicken Garlic Salad

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It's the season of new years resolution. Yeah, I know, I've been beating this point to death... But, with so many resolutions to lose weight, work out, and eat better, I'm hearing a lot more chatter around the office about calories, nutrition, and food. 

A salad a day sounds like a great plan... and it is, provided that you're eating the right salad. If you're eating out, be careful -- many seemingly "good" salads are actually "bad" ones. Don't. Be. Fooled.  Some salads at TGI Fridays, Applebees, and California Pizza Kitchen will run you between 1,000 and 2,000 calories (don't believe me? Read this post). A rule of thumb: Avoid croutons (and toppings like tortilla chips and crispy noodles), creamy dressings, and most Mexican themed salads. For more tips, click here.

This week, in honor of your new year's resolution to eat healthier (or count calories, or get in shape, etc, try this: Instead of shelling out the cash (and calories) for a daily salad at your favorite restaurant, stop by the grocery store and picking up the supplies to make your own.  Here's a recipe for Greek Chicken Garlic Salad (for more Salad Recipes, check out my Food page).

Ingredients (Salad):

• 2 heads of lettuce
• 6 baby carrots
• ½ Onion
• Fresh grated sharp cheddar (to taste)
• 2 chicken breasts or 2 cans of chicken
• 2 tablespoons Olive Oil
• Greek Lemon seasoning 
• 1 handful Sliced almonds (or other available nuts)

Ingredients (Dressing):

• 2/3 tablespoons chopped garlic
• 4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• ½ tablespoon honey

Preparation Directions:

1. Saute chicken, Olive Oil, and Greek Seasoning over medium-high heat for 15 minutes (or until cooked). I started with two cans of chicken because it was all I had on hand and this was a last minute improv kind of meal... so, being pre-cooked, the time was much shorter than it would be for raw chicken breasts.
2. Chop lettuce and onions to your personal preference (I cut the onion into thin, 1 inch pieces). Cut carrots to preference (I cut them into small, 1/4 inch thick discs).
3. Combine lettuce, onion, carrots, and almonds in a bowl. 
4. Grate fresh sharp cheddar on top
5. Add cooked and seasoned chicken
6. Prepare dressing by combining all 5 ingredients and mixing well.
7. Serve!

 

Here are some links for further reading:

MSNBC 5 Restaurant Salads That Are Worse Than A Whopper

Men's Health 20 Salads That Are Worse Than A Whopper

Men's Health Best Bottled Salad Dressings