Mason Jar Salads with Rotisserie Chicken

Lunch I can actually eat when I have no time to make it

The problem with fresh salads is they require time. Time to wash. Time to build. Time to find all the pieces. Time I don’t have in the middle of the day when I’m maintaining the household and coaching and caring for four kids.

So I layer them. Dressing on the bottom so it doesn’t make the greens soggy. Tomatoes. Pulled rotisserie chicken for protein. Croutons for crunch. Greens on top. Seal them up and they’re ready to go for four days. When I need lunch I just open the jar, dump it in a bowl or shake it up right in the mason jar and eat. No thinking. No assembly. Just food I actually want to eat.

INGREDIENTS (makes 4 salads in 32 oz jars)

3-4 tbsps vinaigrette per jar
1 cup diced tomatoes per jar
4-5 oz pulled rotisserie chicken per jar
1/2 to 3/4 cup croutons per jar
2-3 cups mixed greens or spinach per jar

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Pour vinaigrette into the bottom of each mason jar.

2. Layer diced tomatoes on top of the dressing.

3. Add pulled rotisserie chicken pieces.

4. Add croutons.

5. Top with mixed greens or spinach and pack down lightly.

6. Seal jars with lids and refrigerate until ready to eat. These will keep for up to 4 days.

7. When ready to eat, dump into a bowl or shake up in the jar and eat directly from it.

Per jar (estimated): 450 cal | 32g Protein | 27g Carbs | 17g Fat | 4g Fiber

Why this works: Because sometimes the barrier to eating healthy isn’t knowing what to eat… it’s having time to build it. These sit in your fridge ready to go. Rotisserie chicken gives you protein without actual cooking. Greens stay crisp because the dressing is on the bottom. Croutons add the crunch so it doesn’t feel like deprivation. Open one jar during the day and you’ve got lunch. No excuses about not having time.