How does a salad spinner work?

Salad spinners are designed to both wash and dry lettuce. Its primary job is drying-- moving excess liquid from the lettuce after washing by spinning it in a slotted basket. Place the lettuce in the inner bowl, fill the entire bowl with cold ice water and slosh it around gently with your hands. Then let it sit for a few minutes before draining. Any dirt or debris will fall to the bottom to be discarded with the water.

How to dry lettuce without a salad spinner?

If you don't have a salad spinner, no worries! Place the lettuce in a wide bowl or plate lined with paper towels. Then gently pat the top with more paper towels to remove excess liquid.

What's the difference between cherry and grape tomatoes?

While they're similar in size, they differ a bit in shape, taste, and texture. Grape tomatoes are more oblong (like grapes) and have thicker skin. Cherry tomatoes are round (like cherries) with thinner skin. Cherry tomatoes are also sweeter. You can use them interchangeably-- I usually buy whatever is on sale and/or looks better. But I do personally prefer cherry tomatoes!

Healthy-ish Chicken Bacon Ranch Salad

Chicken Bacon Ranch Salad

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5 from 1 review

The BEST flavor combo-- chicken bacon ranch-- in the form of a salad (or sandwich! or wrap!) Your new go-to lunch or dinner recipe that's quick & easy to make, healthy-ish, great for meal prep, and infinitely flexible.

Author: Kelly @ Butter and Thyme
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 0 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes
Category: Quick & Easy Meals, salad
Method: meal prep
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Units Scale

3/4 lb. cooked chicken breast (or thighs, diced or shredded, crispy or grilled)
4 strips (~ 3 oz.) of cooked bacon, roughly chopped
4 cups lettuce, i.e. romaine, green leaf, or a spring mix
1/2 cup cherry tomatoes (or diced tomatoes)
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
1 avocado (optional)
1/2 cup cheddar (optional)
1/2 cup croutons (optional)
3-4 tablespoons ranch dressing (or more)

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Instructions

Prep salad ingredients: cut lettuce into bite-sized pieces and wash and dry in a salad spinner. Cut cherry tomatoes in half or quarters, if desired. Thinly slice red onions, grate the cheddar, and slice or dice avocado if using.
Mix salad: in a large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients except avocado and ranch dressing, reserving a small amount of each garnish on the side. Drizzle about 3 tablespoons of ranch dressing over the top of the salad and toss to combine until evenly coated. Add more ranch dressing, 1 tablespoon at a time, to your liking.
Top salad with avocado and reserved garnishes, and serve immediately.

Notes

If starting with raw chicken and/or bacon, start by cooking the bacon in a pan until crisp, and draining excess grease on paper towels. You can cook chicken in the same pan after cooking the bacon-- cook to an internal temperature of 165 °F.

Find it online: https://butterandthyme.com/chicken-bacon-ranch-salad/