Tangy Spinach Chicken Salad

Do you ever have a night where you want something light and easy? Salads seem to fit that description in our house. We love this Tangy Spinach Chicken Salad because it seems to have little prep work. But then when I think about it the only reason it has little prep work is because we have done the cooking earlier in the day, or the day before.

We always have frozen chicken. Once thing I have learned is to defrost the chicken most of the way in the microwave. When it is still slightly firm slice or dice the chicken depending on your recipe. This way the chicken isn’t wiggly and sliding all over while we cut. Being just slightly frozen makes the cutting so much easier…and safer for the Little Chefs. It feels like cutting into an apple. For this recipe, season your diced chicken with salt and pepper then saute in a pan until done. Once cooled put in the refrigerator until dinner.

At the same time, but in a different pan cook your bacon. I like to use the same method as the chicken and slightly freeze the bacon then dice it before cooking. After the bacon is cooked, drain on paper towels. You will not use all the bacon, but it sure is nice to have some extra to add on top of well…almost anything.

As I said, I like to do the cooking of the chicken and bacon during the day, usually while most of the kids are in school and things are less crazy. At dinner time everyone has a job. One will wash and tear the spinach. Two others will dice the apple, onion, and avocado. The rest of the ingredients are right out of the packaging so that is easy enough for Little Chef H. Everyone likes to make their own salad so we fill a plate with all the ‘toppings’.