1 week of dinners for $100 | I whipped up this super healthy and delicious chicken salad in just 5 minutes

Elissa the Mom is teaming up with Rare partner Clark to bring you a week’s worth of quick, easy, healthy and family-friendly meals for only about $100.

Videos by Rare

As a working mom of two, I know it isn’t always easy or financially practical to make a home-cooked dinner every single night. That’s why I’m so excited to share these $20 dinners with you! They’re all simple to make, they’re reasonably healthy, and they’re totally affordable to boot.

I feel that by the time Wednesday rolls around, we’ve already screwed up our diets. This delicious chicken salad is exactly what Tyson and I need to get back on track.

You will need:

  • Shredded chicken
  • Spinach
  • Basil
  • Avocado
  • Gorgonzola or blue cheese
  • Purple onion
  • Cucumber
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • 1½ teaspoons balsamic or red wine vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

Rotisserie chicken is cheap (especially at Costco), but for these recipes, I chose to make my own shredded chicken. I bought a ton of breasts and thighs at the grocery store and cooked them in my Crock-Pot on low for six to eight hours. If you plan to do this, be sure to add chicken broth, salt and pepper to the chicken before it cooks.

(Do you pronounce the L in “balsamic?” Tyson wants to know.)

A few thoughts:

  • Deconstruct meals for toddlers. I give my kids a little chicken, avocado, and sauteed spinach.
  • Combine the olive oil, vinegar and mustard, then mix in the chicken. Everything tastes better that way.
  • My friend Sarah B taught me that small plates are perfect for portion control.

By the middle of the week, we’re tired and we don’t want to cook. That’s why this salad is perfect for Wednesday night; it’s healthy, it utilizes a lot of leftovers, and it only took about five minutes to throw together.

1 week of dinners for $100

Watch new videos from Elissa the Mom every Monday, Wednesday and Friday!

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