Why is lunch always such a hard meal to make for myself? I almost always have leftovers in the fridge that I can easily heat up but instead, I’m in the pantry looking for something fast. We all know that fast usually does not mean healthy. I also try to not even go in my pantry unless I am getting something for someone else because the good food our bodies need is in the fridge. It needs to be kept fresh. Not in the pantry. Once again this week I just cannot stress how much these jar salads save my lunches. They are so easy to prep once a week and they are large and filling and SO good!
This week’s Jar Salad is a Trim Healthy Mama (THM) Energizing (E) Salad. I know what you are thinking…wow…I do not think Jill has ever done an E salad! Well I know I know…E salads are hard because I love all that good fat on my salad. This week though I have found a new one. I even had two testers…one on THM and one not and they both loved it! YIPPEE!!
Southwest Chicken Jar Salad
I based this salad off of a chip dip that I enjoy. Last time I was eating it I thought hey this could be a great jar salad! Anyway as always you just layer everything into the jar as listed in the printable recipe below.
I do have to share that I branched out from my bagged shredded lettuce this week! I know amazing. Well, have you been to Subway lately? I went there while I was away on vacation and on the menu it said you could make any sub into a salad. Of course I wanted to just indulge and eat that yummy bread but instead, I thought I would try a salad.
The kind employee asked me what kind of lettuce I wanted and I, again, wanted to say shredded but I had him do romaine and add some spinach in too. He then added all the ingredients on top of the lettuce into a large bowl and that is when the magic happened. This cool handheld knife thingy (that’s the technical term again) joined the party and he started basically mixing the salad using this knife. The knife not only mixed but it chopped the lettuce all up perfectly. By perfectly I mean I could not even taste the spinach in with the “good” lettuce. The whole salad was mixed perfectly and it was bite size, so I had no awkward moments with lettuce hanging out of my mouth when I ate. I know you have been there.
Salad chopping knife
Very impressed and of course I knew I had to have one! I ordered this one from amazon (below left) but I have to admit the handle is too close to the blades so the lettuce kind of gets stuck from shooting up between the two blades and where your hand is so I have one of these other ones (below right) on order. Basically, I wanted you to know I may not be running to Sam’s Club or Gordon Foods for bagged lettuce every week anymore because this week I used head lettuce and spinach for these salads. Are you so proud of me!
Printable Recipe
Southwest Chicken Jar Salad- THM E
Ingredients
- 1 T Olive oil or MCT oil
- 3 T Apple Cider Vinegar
- 1 Donk Stevia
- sprinkle Pepper
- 1/8 t Chili Powder
- 1/8 t Garlic Powder
- 1/8 t Onion Powder
- 2-4 T Greek Yogurt
- 1/4 cup Cooked and Shredded Chicken
- Quarter Roma Tomato
- 2-4 T Black Beans
- 2-4 T Canned Corn I mixed the corn and beans together and did 1/3 cup of the beans and corn
- Stuff to the top with Lettuce!
Instructions
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Cook and shred your chicken.
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Drain and Combine your corn and black beans. I did a 15oz can of each and then used 1/3 cup of the mix for each salad.
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Add exactly in this order to your quart size mason jar.
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Make sure to stuff full of lettuce and seal them up!
I hope you enjoy this wonderful salad. I love to have a filling E lunch option. Something other than oatmeal and apples! If you are just getting started with jar salads you should check out my Jar Salad Tips and tricks! You can also find a list of all the Jar Salad recipes I have shared by clicking on the jar salad link on the menu above. Have an excellent week!