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Ranch chicken salad in a jar

Course Salad
Cuisine American
Keyword chicken ranch salad, chopped salad, mason jar salad, meal prep lunch
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 7 minutes
Total Time 22 minutes
Servings 4 servings
Pan-cooked chicken, romaine, tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper and mozzarella with ranch dressing, in four pint jars.

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast cut into bite-sized pieces; roughly 2 large chicken breasts
  • salt & pepper
  • ½ cup homemade ranch dressing (store-bought works as a shortcut)
  • 4 cups romaine lettuce washed dried, and cut into bite-sized pieces
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes
  • 1 cup cucumbers cut into rounds
  • 1 bell pepper chopped into small pieces
  • 1 cup mozzarella shredded
  • To serve (optional): 1 cup tortilla strips
  • Equipment: four 1-pint mason jars

Directions

  • Cook chicken: warm olive oil over medium heat in a large nonstick pan. Add the chicken, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and cook for 5-7 minutes, until done and no pink is left. Let cool.
  • Ranch dressing: while the chicken is cooking, stir together the homemade ranch dressing.
  • Portion: put 2 tablespoons ranch in the bottom of each jar. Add the cooled chicken, then bell pepper, cheese, tomatoes and cucumbers. Press the romaine into the top of the jar and close it.
  • Serve: shake the jar out into a bowl; the dressing will coat everything.

Notes

Keep refrigerated at 40°F (4°C) or below.
Refrigerate up to 4 days; do not freeze. Safety: contains cooked chicken; keep at 40 F or below and eat within 1 to 2 days.

Nutrition

Serving: 316g | Calories: 425kcal | Carbohydrates: 7.6g | Protein: 35g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 8.2g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 118mg | Sodium: 504mg | Potassium: 708mg | Fiber: 1.9g | Sugar: 3.9g | Vitamin A: 4801IU | Vitamin C: 23mg | Calcium: 217mg | Iron: 1.4mg

Nutrition is an estimate per serving from USDA FoodData Central, for 4 servings; boneless skinless chicken breast cut into bite-sized pieces; roughly 2 large chicken breasts counted as raw chicken breast, pepper chopped into small pieces counted as green bell pepper, mozzarella shredded counted as fresh mozzarella. Brands and portions vary, so use it only as an approximation.