Skinny Chicken & Stuffin' Salad

This just so happens to be the Little Black Dress of the salad world.

It's also an ideal place to start if you're trying to shimmy back into your actual LBD.



Allow me to cast your mind back a couple of weeks. Remember hungrily browsing the sandwich aisle at lunch and locking eyes with the all exclusive, sparkly red festive range? (I'm going to assume you just nodded and drooled simultaneously.)

Well, I had a particular penchant for the chicken, stuffing and cranberry variety.



My Skinny Chicken & Stuffin' Salad is essentially just that with a low carb January twist. First thing first. Whack these on the shopping list:

For the salad (to feed two people)
1 pack leafy salad (spinach, rocket, lamb's lettuce all work well)
1/2 an iceberg lettuce
1/2 a cucumber
3 x skinless, free range chicken breasts
1 cup 'just add water' sage and onion based stuffing mixture

For the dressing
3 tbsp cranberry sauce (you'll find this in exile at the back of your fridge)
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp good quality extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp wholegrain mustard
1 x lemon

Start by seasoning your breasts and stop being so naughty, you filthy animal!



Pop them in a pre-heated oven at around 200°c until cooked through and crisp on the outside. Depending on the thickness of your chicken they can take between 20-30 minutes. If  in doubt, slice one open and take a peek. If it's pink, it's not done yet.

In the meantime, prepare your stuffing according to the instructions on the packet. Crisp it up under the grill if you have the time, otherwise just pop it in the microwave for around three minutes and enjoy its natural gooey deliciousness.



Feel free to make your mixture from scratch if you'd rather. I'm only leaving it to Sainsbury's because, well, who the heck has the time to make homemade stuffing?!

Chop your iceberg lettuce into strips and throw it into a bowl with the rest of your leaves. Dice your cucumber and toss it all together good 'n' proper.

Whilst your stuffing is cooking, knock together your dressing. In a bowl, add your cranberry sauce, olive oil, mustard, lemon juice and balsamic vinegar before giving it a stir and crushing in your garlic. Season with salt and pepper.

At this point, your roast chicken should be ready. Remove it from the oven and squeeze over the lemon juice. I like mine really lemony, so I use a whole half.

When it has cooled, chop it up into bite size chunks and season.

Divide your salad between two large bowls (you should have enough left over for tomorrow's lunch, you lucky devil) and scatter your chicken pieces on top.

When the microwave pings, take out your stuffing and break it into little pieces. Pop them on top of your salad and whatever you do, make sure you lick the spoon.

That, my friend, is a vital step.

Drizzle over your homemade cranberry dressing and dive in totally guilt free.

Ridiculously delicious and totally acceptable in January, much like the the following joke:

What do you do with epileptic lettuce?

You make a seizure salad!