Does anyone else feel like their hot dog/brownie/ice cream intake is off the charts lately? No, just me? Hmm. Well, if like our family, you’re in need of a recharge, I’d like to suggest a market fresh salad full of sweet nectarines, creamy fresh mozzarella and peppery arugula. 
Salads are the original fast food, which means they should be on high rotation in any busy household. But, salads and toddlers rarely mix – not even at my house. In fact, as soon as Ellie could start eating solid foods, our consumption of greens took a sharp decline. So, when Keegan suggested we have one for dinner, I was immediately skeptical, and then, I had a major duh moment.
I thought, “Of course, we can do this. I’ll just feed her a deconstructed version of our meal. The same way I do for most sandwiches.” On her plate, she had bits of grilled chicken, chopped nectarines, some mozzarella and fresh corn kernels. It was a hit with all three of us.
This whole meal can be ready in around 30, is healthy and has a short ingredient list. I think we just found our new summer salad.
Grilled Chicken Salad with Nectarines & Fresh Corn
Serves 2 1/2
Ingredients:
1 chicken breast
3 c. arugula
2 nectarines, chopped
1 ear of corn
1/4 c. fresh mozzarella torn into bite sized pieces
Juice of half a lemon
3 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil, divided
Salt
Pepper
Directions:
Heat a grill over high heat. Toss the chicken breast in 1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil and season with salt and pepper. When the grill is hot, add the chicken. Turn when golden on one side. Then, when the other side is browned, lower the heat to medium and cook until the juices run clear. My chicken was thick, so the whole thing took about 30 minutes to cook. If you have thin, 1/4 inch pieces, this could takes as few as 15 minutes. Just keep an eye on it.
While the chicken is cooking, add the arugula and nectarines to a large bowl. Remove the kernels from your ear of corn using a sharp knife. Add those to the bowl. Tear in about a quarter cup of mozzarella. Season the contents of the bowl with salt and pepper and toss together.
When the chicken is cooked, remove it to a plate or cutting board to rest. Now, squeeze in the juice from half a lemon and about 2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil. Toss together. Plate the salad, dividing evenly between two plates.
Then, chop the chicken into large, bite-sized pieces. Divide evenly among the plates, topping your salad with them.
Eat and enjoy.
Looking for more Fast Food? Find recipes from this series below:
Grilled Chicken with Strawberry Salsa and Roasted Carrots
Herby Turkey Burgers with Potatoes and Green Beans
Lemon Garlic Chicken with Asparagus and Strawberries
Pancetta, Peas and Asparagus Pasta
Italian Breaded Chicken Thighs and Green Beans
Perfect Baked Chicken and Maple, Orange Butternut Squash
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