BROCCOLI CHEDDAR CHICKEN SALAD
I picked up a lot of fresh broccoli this week, so I decided to share with you this simple salad and some suggestions for different ways to incorporate other ingredients you already have in your fridge. There are many ways to eat the Broccoli Cheddar Chicken Salad, so be sure to look down towards the “How to Serve” section to see what I had for my own! I devoured this food repeatedly and immediately wanted more, so I’m sure this will be an all-time favorite for me!
WHAT KIND OF “COOKED CHICKEN” SHOULD I USE?
The recipe is quite adaptable, and you can use almost any kind of precooked chicken, such as rotisserie chicken, grilled chicken, or canned chicken breasts. If you have raw chicken breasts on hand, just season your chicken with a pinch of salt and cook it in a pan with a drizzle of oil until it has cooked through and cooked to perfection (internal temperature of 160oF). Cool the chicken before chopping and adding it to the salad.
WHAT ELSE CAN I ADD TO THIS SALAD?
I made this salad reasonably easy because I’m working with what I have during the lockdown. However, If you have any of these ingredients, they’d make a great addition to this recipe. Broccoli Cheddar Chicken Salad
Bacon bits or cooked bacon
Sunflower seeds
The red onion has been finely diced as an alternative to the green onion.
Shredded Parmesan in place of cheddar to create a Caesar salad-like vibe
Hardboiled egg sliced and diced
Small pasta shapes cooked such as mini shells, orecchiette
If you add more ingredients, you can adjust the amounts of dressing you use to ensure all components are well-covered.
HOW TO SERVE BROCCOLI CHEDDAR CHICKEN SALAD
This is the fun part. I couldn’t help but pour it straight out of the bowl; however, I also had it in various ways. It’s significant when rolled up inside a wrap (or pita) for wrap sandwiches, particularly with tomato-flavored wraps I picked up from Aldi. This tangy flavor was the perfect complement to the salad. The next day, I transformed the quesadilla, placed it in the regular tortilla, and then grilled it until the inside melted and the cheese started to melt. It was terrific that I made another one after eating the first one! Of course, you can mix it with cooked and cooled pasta to make a delicious pasta salad.
INGREDIENTS
One lb. of fresh, steamed chopped broccoli (about two cups of cut) ($1.89)
1 cup of chopped and cooked and chopped chicken* ($1.16)
2 oz. cheddar shred (about half a Cup) ($1.00)
Two green onions cut ($0.25)
1/3 cup ranch dressing ($0.49)
freshly cracked pepper, to taste ($0.05)
INSTRUCTIONS
Finely chop the broccoli into small pieces. It is essential to make sure that the broccoli pieces are tiny. Cut the chicken into smaller pieces too.
Add the chopped broccoli, chicken, cheddar, green onions, and ranch dressing to the bowl. Stir until all ingredients are evenly coated in sauce. Sprinkle freshly chopped pepper to your taste.
Serve it as is, and put it into a pita or tortilla to serve as a sandwich. Or put it in a tortilla and toast it in a pan until the interior is cooked to make an omelet. Refrigerate any remaining salad for 3-4 days.
