What’s for Lunch?
As a kid, I loved lunch. Probably because I associated it with a break from class and time for recess. Now, I don’t find lunch to be as fun. Don’t get me wrong I love to eat, but when you’re grinding during the weekdays it feels like another task you have to figure out. Breakfast and dinner are more staple meals because it’s the beginning and end of the day. Lunch, however, feels like a weird in-between gray area. And if I feel this way, I can even imagine how parents feel having to figure it out for both themselves and their kids. One recipe that never fails me though is my Herby Chicken Salad. It’s a super simple recipe that you can eat as is or elevate by adding on different toppings. You get your protein in, and it’s a light yet satiating meal. You’ll definitely want to keep this recipe bookmarked for the weeks you’re in a recipe rut.
Bake, Chop, and Mix
We’ll start with roasting the chicken. Preheat the oven to 375℉. Line a baking sheet with foil. Coat the chicken breasts with the olive oil and season both sides with salt and pepper. We’re keeping it super simple here. Then place them onto the baking sheet and roast for 23-27 minutes until fully cooked. The internal temperature should reach 165℉. Set the chicken aside to cool. If you’re really on a time crunch or simply don’t have the motivation to cook the chicken, you can dice up grocery store rotisserie chicken.
Once the chicken has cooled, dice it into small pieces. Add it to a bowl along with the red onion, chives, dill, mayo mustard, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Mix it all together until everything is combined. Taste for seasoning and adjust if necessary. And that’s all there is to it!
Chicken Salad Everything
One of the reasons I love this Herby Chicken Salad is because it’s so versatile. You can eat it as is with crackers, you can make chicken lettuce cups, or you can turn it into a chicken salad sandwich. That’s not even the tip of the iceberg of all the different variations of meals you can create with this. My personal favorite is a chicken salad sandwich. I’ll load the salad onto sourdough and top it with avocado, pickled red onions, and butter lettuce. That right there is a 10/10 meal. I also love that it’s simple but slightly elevated with the simple addition of fresh herbs. I hate when chicken salad is 80% mayo. Personally, I need a little more depth in flavor and texture and this Herby Chicken Salad has all of that.
Herby Chicken Salad
Ingredients
- 1 lb Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast
- 1 tbsp Olive Oil
- ⅓ cup Finely Chopped Red Onion
- 2 tbsp Chopped Chives
- 1 tbsp Chopped Dill
- ⅓ cup Mayo
- 1 tsp Whole Grain Mustard
- 1 ½ tsp Lemon Juice
- ½ tsp Kosher Salt
- ¼ tsp Pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375℉. Line a baking sheet with foil. Coat the chicken breasts with the olive oil and season both sides with salt and pepper. Place them onto the baking sheet and cook for 23-27 minutes until fully cooked and the internal temperature reaches 165℉. Set the chicken aside to cool.
- Once the chicken has cooled, dice it into small pieces. Add the chicken to a bowl along with the red onion, chives, dill, mayo mustard, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Mix it all together until everything is combined. Taste for seasoning and adjust if necessary. Enjoy!
