Simple Spinach Salad with Chicken

I am winding down from a fabulous long weekend.  I sure had a ton of fun!  I used the rest of my afternoon today to prepare a few things and ready myself for the week to come.  It’ll be a short one, but I already know it’s going to be super busy.  I’ll be looking forward to another coast trip next weekend and that will be here before I know it!  I even have prepared foods stored away in the freezer ready for our coastal road trip!  I will be so happy when Friday roles around and all I need to do is pull things out of the freezer and load them in the cooler to go.

I am feeling extra thrilled with my bargain meals for the week.  I bought a “happy chicken” fryer last Tuesday at the market.  I roasted it and ate lunch and dinner meals from it nearly every day.  This afternoon I cut off the rest of the chicken, creating strips for tonight’s dinner and cubes for a red curry chicken and vegetable dish later this week.  I currently have the carcass stewing on the stove top so I can make a chicken, vegetable and rice soup.  Half of that will be for my beach weekend and the other half will be stored in the freezer for future meals.  For under $9.00 that whole chicken will have given me roughly fifteen or so meals.  Isn’t that awesome?!  I did it right when I bought groceries last week!  I am learning to work it right with my new grocery budget and it is feeling great!

Check out this amazing salad I enjoyed for tonight’s dinner.  It was so simple and delicious. My tummy is happy, my little home is clean and after I finish making the soup that has begun on the stove top, I will be kicking my feet up and enjoying my peaceful evening.

Give this simple salad a try.  The flavor combination is divine!

Simple Spinach Salad with Chicken

2 cups of baby spinach

a few thin slices of red onion (to your liking)

5 pecans, roughly chopped

2 Tablespoons of dried cranberries, roughly chopped

2 ounces of sliced chicken breast, cut into strips

a couple turns of the pepper mill over the salad

drizzle with balsamic vinaigrette (home made)

garnish with fresh radishes