Salads are an important part of every healthy diet plan. They are a source of the essential minerals and vitamins you need to stay healthy and are also less in calories. Who says you have to stick to just one boring side salad? Today, there are a plethora of options at your disposal when you decide to have a salad for lunch or dinner. There are different types of salads that you can make, which are filling and delicious and will satisfy your appetite in the best possible way. If you want to make different salads, here are some of the great simple salad recipes you can try:
- Greek Salad
Most people overlook the Greek salad for no reason at all. It is one of the best salads you can have and it becomes really amazing when it is tossed in a refreshing and light lemon vinaigrette.
Ingredients:
You need separate ingredients for making the salad and for the lemon vinaigrette. ¼ cup crumbled goat cheese, 1 small thinly sliced red onion, ¼ cup Kalamata olives, 5 cups chopped romaine lettuce, 1 thinly sliced English cucumber, ½ cup crumbled goat cheese, ½ cup halved cherry tomatoes, and freshly ground black pepper are the ingredients for the salad. For the lemon vinaigrette, you need ¼ cup apple cider vinegar, ¼ cup olive oil, 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice, zest of 1 lemon, and 1 ½ tablespoon of sugar.
Directions:
Make the vinaigrette first by taking a small bowl and whisking together apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, and zest, olive oil, and sugar in it. Then set it aside. Now, you assemble the salad by taking a large bowl and placing romaine lettuce in it. Then top it with cucumber, red onion, tomatoes, goat cheese, olives, and pepper to taste. The dressing can now be poured over the salad and then tossed gently. It is ready to be served.
- BBQ Chicken Salad
This is a flavorful, healthy, and inexpensive salad, which can become a family favorite.
Ingredients:
2 skinless, boneless thin-sliced chicken breasts, 6 cups chopped romaine lettuce, 1 tablespoon olive oil, ¼ cup diced red onion, 1 diced Roma tomato, ¾ cup drained and rinsed canned black beans, ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese, ¼ cup tortilla chips, ¾ cup drained canned corn kernels, ¼ cup Ranch dressing, ¼ cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese, ¼ cup BBQ sauce, and freshly grounded pepper and kosher salt to taste are the ingredients needed.
Directions:
Take a medium skillet and heat olive oil in it over medium heat. Use salt and pepper for seasoning chicken breasts and then add them to the skillet. Cook the breasts and flip them once until they cooked for about 3 to 4 minutes per side. Dice the chicken into bite-sized pieces before it is cooled down. Take a large bowl and place romaine lettuce in it. Top it with corn, tomato, chicken, beans, cheeses, and onions. Pour BBQ sauce and ranch dressing on top of the salad and toss them gently to combine. Top it with tortilla chips and serve immediately.
- Chicken Caesar Salad
When you are tired of the traditional salad recipes, you can go for the chicken Caesar salad to spice things up a bit.
Ingredients:
You need 3 tablespoons of olive oil, 1 large romaine lettuce with separated leaves, 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, 4 thick slices of crusty white bread, or 1 medium ciabatta loaf. For the dressing, you need 2 anchovies from a tin, 1 garlic clove, 5 teaspoon mayonnaise, 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar, and one medium block of Parmesan cheese for shaving and grating.
Directions:
Heat the oven to 180C. Use a bread knife for breaking the bread into croutons. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of olive oil over the bread after placing the croutons on a large baking sheet. Season the olive oil with some salt if you like. The croutons should be baked for 8 to 10 minutes and turned a couple of times during cooking so they are evenly brown. Rub the remaining oil over the chicken breasts and season them. Place the chicken in a pan, put it over medium heat, and let it be for 4 minutes.
Peel off the garlic’s skin and use a garlic crusher to crush it. Use a fork for mashing the anchovies against the side of a small bowl. Take a handful of cheese, grate it and then mix it with other ingredients. Use a peeler for shaving the cheese. Put large pieces of lettuce in a bowl. Bite-size pieces of chicken should be scattered over the lettuce along with half the croutons. Toss with fingers after adding the dressing. Now, scatter the remaining chicken, croutons, and dressing. The Parmesan should be sprinkled on top. The salad is ready to be served.
