Friday, October 24, 2008

No Brainer Dinner Ideas - Chicken Watermelon Salad

Rose at http://santamakersjourney.blogspot.com/ has a great idea in her blog today. It's Let's Share "No Brainer" Dinner Ideas. She wants us to share some recipes that are our standbys, with no measuring, no thinking and nothing that takes over 10 minutes to prepare. Rose's first recipe is a Grilled Chicken Pear & Pecan Salad. I thought I'd share my recipe for a similar salad made with ground chicken & watermelon. This is a huge family favorite at my house.

Chicken Watermelon Salad:

  • ground chicken, my 1st choice or ground turkey.
  • seasoning: chili powder, garlic salt, pepper & McCormick Roasted Garlic & Bell Pepper seasoning blend; (season to taste).
  • red onion - chopped - 1/2 for the meat & 1/2 for the salad.
  • watermelon - cut into bite size cubes, (I buy the small "individual" sized watermelons).
  • sweet peppers - chopped, I usually use yellow, orange or red peppers, you can cook some of the peppers in the meat mixture if you like.
  • small tomatoes - cut in half, I use grape tomatoes.
  • salad greens.
  • feta or blue cheese crumbles.
  • Greek olives - sliced - I love them, my family doesn't, so they're optional.
  • candied pecans - I use Emerald Pecan Pie candied pecans - they're out of this world!
  • raspberries, black berries or blue berries - don't have to have them, but sometimes I add several different berries with the watermelon.
  • Raspberry vinaigrette, Zesty Italian, blue cheese, or whatever dressing you're in the mood for.
Brown the chicken or turkey with 1/2 of a chopped red onion, chili powder, garlic salt, pepper & McCormick Roasted Garlic & Bell Pepper seasoning blend, (I love this stuff!). I cut up fruits & veggies & store in separate containers. Everyone likes something different at my house. (This could take longer than 10 minutes if the fruits & veggies haven't been cut up ahead of time, but it's worth it!) I've tried layering in a large salad bowl, which is beautiful until the first helping has been served, then all the heavier items go to the bottom of the bowl. I leave everything in separate bowls, then we make our own salads.

I've ordered this salad a couple times at the Los Gatos Brewing Company, http://www.lgbrewingco.com/. They use red & yellow watermelon & top with a chiffonade of basil. (I don't recall much of flavor difference between the red & yellow watermelon.) Oh, it is just sooo good!

***

The ground chicken or turkey mix is also wonderful with tomatoes, onions, blue cheese crumbles, chopped sweet peppers, & Zesty Italian dressing; or as a topper over a baked potato.

Enjoy!
Diane

11 comments:

santamaker said...

Oh, Diane this sounds delicious! Thanks so much for playing along. Love that it's easy and you leave all of the goodies in individual bowls. For sure on my list to make!
Thanks for playing along!

Rhoda @ Southern Hospitality said...

Hi, Diane, thanks for stopping by. You were asking about that little blue table I painted, going outside...it's going inside! You may have missed my posts about doing a redo in my guestroom with black & white damask & aqua walls. That's where it is going. Come back & see me.

santamaker said...

Hi Diane,
Just wanted to mention that I am doing links (much like tablescape tuedays), where I will post your name and link your blog so others can see your recipe(s). Let me know if you would like to link by sunday at 9pm and I will list all of the participants on Monday..so that everyone can visit you and your great no brainers. If not, I can add this recipe to my post.
Didn't I make that a wee confusing?>LOL>

Kat said...

Diane...that sounds delish! Ive never heard of Yellow Watermelon.
We must not get it here. Does it taste the same as the red?
Cant wait to see your painted walls. Sounds like youve got it all worked out. Seeee you did it!!!

Bargain Decorating with Laurie said...

Yum! This sounds like a good, easy one that I'm going to have to try. Thanks so much for your kind visits to my RMS spaces and to my blog. I do plan to slowly post some pix of my home on my blog. I've been worried about posting them, so I thank you so much for your encouragement. laurie

Lynette said...

Thanks for sharing yours too, Diane. DH and I love salads - I'll have to try yours. This is such a great idea.
Lynette

Bo said...

My husband loves watermelon so I'll have to make this one for him.
;-) Bo

Kristen said...

Interesting, I've never had watermelon in a salad. I'll have to try it.

Cami @ Creating Myself said...

Thanks for the comment!

Your salad sounds very interesting! I love unusual flavor combos (as long as they taste good! LOL) so I'll have to give it a try. I've had a watermelon & feta salad before so chances are I'll like it.

Bargain Decorating with Laurie said...

Thanks so much for stopping by and leaving a nice note in my blog today. laurie

Lynette said...

Hi Diane - Just checking in - I haven't heard from you in a while and just wanted to pop in and see how you were doing and say "HI"!! Hope all is well with you -
Have a good one ~
Lynette

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