CPK Inspired BBQ Chicken Salad

If you also grew up going to California Pizza Kitchen, then you know how incredible this salad is! This is just one of those nostalgic cravings that hit me hard the other day and I knew I had to make it: chopped romaine, fresh corn and tomatoes, tangy bbq glazed chicken, cilantro ranch and crunchy tortilla chips. Is your mouth watering yet or just me? Even better, this one is dairy-free friendly, gluten-free and lightened up a bit!

Serves 4

For the cilantro ranch:

·        1 cup mayo

·        2 tablespoons white vinegar

·        1 tablespoon water

·        ¼ cup cilantro, roughly chopped

·        2 green onions, roughly chopped

·        1 teaspoon garlic powder

·        1 teaspoon kosher salt

·        ½ teaspoon ground black pepper

For the bbq chicken:

·        1lb rotisserie chicken, chopped or shredded

·        ½ cup BBQ sauce of choice (I like Primal Kitchen unsweetened classic)

For the salad:

·        10oz hearts of romaine, chopped

·        4oz butter lettuce

·        2/3 cup black beans, drained and rinsed

·        2/3 cup fresh or frozen corn

·        1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

·        3 green onions, thinly sliced on the diagonal, divided

·        1 cup of tortilla chips, crumbled (I like Siete)

·        2/3 cup monterey jack cheese

For the cilantro ranch: In a blender, combine all cilantro ranch ingredients and pulse until fully combined. Set aside.

For the bbq chicken: In a medium sized mixing bowl, add the chicken and bbq sauce and toss until all the chicken is well coated. Set aside.

To assemble the salad: In a large mixing bowl add the romaine, butter lettuce, black beans, corn, cherry tomatoes, 1/2 of the green onion and ½ cup of the cilantro ranch dressing reserving some for drizzling. Top the salad with bbq chicken and tortilla chip crumbles. Drizzle with more BBQ sauce, cilantro ranch and garnish with the remaining green onion. Serve immediately.

Air-Fryer Buffalo Chicken Chopped Salad with Dairy-Free Cilantro Ranch

If I could eat buffalo wings and ranch every day for the rest of my life, I absolutely would. The combo makes my mouth water on cue every time and so I love coming up with more balanced meal ideas with this flavor duo. I made this buffalo chicken chopped salad recipe for a client recently and was so obsessed with it that I knew I needed to document and share it! This cleaned up version is crunchy, spicy, creamy, refreshing and super meal prep friendly!

Ingredients:

For the cilantro ranch:

·        1 cup mayo

·        2 tablespoons white vinegar

·        1 tablespoon water

·        ¼ cup cilantro, roughly chopped

·        2 green onion, roughly chopped (both green and white parts)

·        1 teaspoon garlic powder

·        1 teaspoon kosher salt

·        ½ teaspoon ground black pepper

For the buffalo chicken:

·        Non-stick cooking spray

·        1lb chicken breast or chicken thighs, 1” cubed

·        1 tablespoon arrowroot flour

·        1 ½ teaspoon kosher salt

·        ½ teaspoon ground black pepper

·        1/3 cup buffalo sauce (I like Primal Kitchen)

For the salad:

·        2 hearts of romaine (chopped) or 8 oz

·        5 oz mixed greens

·        1/3 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

·        1/3 cup shredded carrot

·        1/3 cup cucumber, halved and sliced

·        ¼ cup shredded cheddar (omit for dairy-free)

·        Green onion, thinly sliced on the diagonal

Method:

1.        In a blender, combine all the cilantro ranch ingredients and blend until fully combined.

2.        Preheat the air-fryer to 400F for 5 minutes.

3.        While the air-fryer preheats, add the chicken bites, arrowroot flour, salt, and pepper to a medium sized mixing bowl. Toss until the chicken is fully coated and set aside.

4.        Lightly spray the basket of the air-fryer with non-stick cooking spray. Add half of the chicken bites to the basket, taking care to space them out so they aren’t touching. Bake for 5 minutes, give the basket a good toss, then bake for an additional 5 minutes or until the chicken bites are fully cooked. Transfer the cooked chicken to a medium sized mixing bowl and repeat step 4 with the remaining half of the chicken.

5.        Add the remaining cooked chicken to the mixing bowl and add the buffalo sauce. Toss until all the chicken bites are well coated.

6.        Toss all salad ingredients with the cilantro ranch and top with the buffalo chicken bites. Serve immediately.

*Note: This recipe is super meal prep friendly and lasts in the fridge up to 4 days. Store the chicken bites in one container and the remaining salad ingredients all together in a separate container, so you can easily reheat the chicken bites separately from the salad when ready (about 1 minute per serving). Store the cilantro ranch in a tightly sealed mason jar.

Hot Honey Peach Crostini

SUMMER ON TOAST. Here's a 5 ingredient showstopper to bring to your next gathering. Juicy peaches, creamy ricotta, hot honey and basil create the most insanely delicious flavor bomb and bonus: it couldn't be easier!

Ingredients :

• Baguette, ½” thick sliced on the diagonal

• Olive oil for brushing

• 3 cups fresh peaches, small diced

• 16 oz container whole milk ricotta

• 1 cup fresh basil, very thinly sliced

• Hot honey for drizzling

• Flaky sea salt for garnish

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 400F and line two sheet trays with parchment paper. Add the sliced baguette and lightly brush with olive oil. Toast for 8-10 minutes until they are barely golden in color. Set aside until cool enough to handle.

2. To assemble, add a swipe of ricotta to each crostini, about 1 tablespoon. Next, layer with fresh diced peaches, garnish with basil and finish with a generous drizzle of hot honey and flaky sea salt. Serve immediately!