Yes, I’m giving you one last summer salad before we say farewell to this heat and HELLO to FALL! Fall is my favorite season. I know, it’s shocking. Another shock factor is making a salad for dinner during summer…. If this salad wasn’t so darn good, then I’d apologize for the simplicity of choosing this recipe. Sorry not sorry.

My mom and I have always had discussions on what to make for dinner during the summer. What we both agreed on was that salads could get very boring. Additionally, they don’t seem to fill you up like heartier dinners do. Together, we created this veggie packed salad that not only fills you up but is filled with nutrients and flavor! This is kid approved since my 10-year-old gobbles it down in minutes. My 8-year-old needed a few dino nuggets to accompany it, but she ate salad, so I took that as a win!

Doesn’t that dressing look creamy and delicious? It’s because it is so, mystery solved. One of the best parts of creating healthy recipes is finding healthy alternatives that truly don’t leave you feeling like you’re missing out on the real thing. My journey for a healthier ranch dressing was a long one, but I’m pleased to announce that journey has finally come to an end! The dressing I speak of is none other than the Whole30 House Ranch dressing. Folks, this one is legit. I dare say this is like the real thing. It’s creamy, delicious, dairy free and is now a staple in my house. I can’t seem to find it in any store but luckily, I order monthly from Thrive Market and purchase at least two bottles at a time. If you haven’t checked out Thrive Market for your healthy staples, you should, even if only for this dressing. You may also find this ranch on the Whole30 website by clicking HERE.

In case you were wondering, I added the paprika to the salad strictly for the smokey taste. Like I mentioned above, the salad is amazing on its own, but I wanted to add the smokey flavor without using liquid smoke.

Ingredients:

• 1-1.5 lbs chicken tenders
• 1 tbspn coconut oil
• 2-3 heads of romaine lettuce, chopped
• 1 bell pepper (choose your color, I used yellow)
• 2-3 organic celery stalk (I believe organic celery has more flavor)
• 2 carrot sticks, peeled and chopped
• 1/2 cucumber, peeled and cubed
• Organic green olives (pitted) for garnish
• Chives for garnish
• Whole30 House Dressing
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• salt and pepper to taste

How to prepare:

1. In a large frying pan, heat the coconut oil on medium heat
2. Lay the chicken tenders on the pan with space in between each piece
3. Sprinkle one layer of salt and pepper, then flip (NOTE- I used truffle salt for this and it was gosh darn delicious)
4. Season the other side of the chicken and continue to alternate sides until chicken is fully cooked, set aside
5. While the chicken is cooking, wash and chop all of your produce, set aside
6. Combine all of the produce in a large mixing bowl and toss
7. In a separate bowl, pour your Whole30 House Ranch and combine with the smoked paprika
8. Top your salad with olives, chives, chicken and dressing

I won’t even suggest adding additional toppings to this one. It’s so good, I could eat this every day! This made enough for about 5-6 servings which was awesome for me since I definitely had it for lunch the next day. I hope you enjoy!

❤️ME