Tuesday, March 3, 2009

Lighter Side - Penny Pincher Chicken Cesar Salad



A Cesar salad topped with chicken is always one of our favorite quick-and-easy go-to dinners, and it isn't horribly expensive, but the calorie count can get out of control quickly, thanks to fatty toppers and dressing..

To keep it light, I used Kraft Light Done Right Cesar dressing, (3 tablespoons) and the juice of one half lemon mixed together to dress a mix of Romaine and Iceberg lettuces (no bagged salad here, lettuce can be a SUPER cheap veggie if you buy it whole!!)... I added some carrot slices, and skipped things like Parmesan cheese and croutons which can add fat and calories (although making your own croutons can let you enjoy the crunch and control the calories)..

The Hub is picky about his chicken.. In the past I have learned that I can sneak dark meat into meals if it is hidden by a sauce or in a soup - but not served straight up, such as here... I, however LOVE the dark meat. So, to keep costs super low, I bought a whole chicken and broke it down right when I got home... the breasts got cut into tenders, and packaged in single serve foil packets, labeled and stuck in a big bag... for the dark meat I left the bone in - which is how I actually prefer it, and packaged that in single serve labeled foil (and into the big freezer bag) as well.

I breaded and cooked The Hubs using the same technique you have seen again and again lately, and mine got a rub of herbs before being baked..

Everyone is happy- dinner is healthy and easy on the wallet..

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