Cranberry Walnut Chicken Salad

I have been trying to eat healthier lately; I suppose to counteract the hundreds of extra calories I will be consuming this holiday season, no doubt! Anyway, I concocted a perfect salad that was so delicious, I made it three days in a row! It’s super simple, healthy, and really satisfying. It’s as good as any $12 restaurant salad, that’s for sure! So I thought I’d share my “recipe” with you – Enjoy!

Ingredients:
Lettuce (I use darker greens, like romaine or red leaf)
Chopped Walnuts (HyVee sells them in little convenient packets)
Dried cranberries (Craisins work well – for a cheaper option, try raisins like I did)
Kraft Light Raspberry Vinaigrette (AMAZING!)
Chicken (you can cook and cube your own chicken, or I used Kirkland’s pre-cooked grilled chicken breast strips. Not as economical, but REALLY convenient!)

Optional:
Red onion slices
Tomato slices
Chopped celery
Croutons
Cheese (blue cheese or feta crumbles would be awesome!)

If you are preparing this to take to work, I would get your lettuce washed and chicken cooked the night before. I put a portion of lettuce in a Tupperware container and added my cubed chicken, then placed it in the fridge. I also put a small box of raisins and the bag of walnuts in the fridge, so I don’t forget them :) I also put some salad dressing in a really small container in the fridge. Then at work, I open the Tupperware, add the walnuts, dressing, and raisins, snap the lid back on, shake it a few times, and voila! A perfectly delicious and healthy salad in seconds. I save about half of the box of raisins for a mid-afternoon “snack”. One walnut packet gave me three full salads – and I didn’t skimp. It has protein, good fat, vegetables, fruits, and very little carbs. It's nothing magical, but this is definitely one salad I will be repeating over and over!