Weeknight Bites: Chicken and Prosciutto Salad with Asiago

October is my favorite month for a few reasons. For one, it's the month when the leaves on the trees really start to change (at least here in Georgia), and the world just kind of looks...magical. I love that. I also love the cool, crisp air of the mornings and the chill that sets in after the sun goes down. Then we have Halloween, which is one of my very favorite holidays, again falling in October. Both my dad and my brother have birthdays this month. And, last but absolutely not least, my husband and I celebrate our anniversary. See why I love October so much?

For our anniversary, the hubby and I are taking a trip back to the Bahamas, where we went on our honeymoon two years ago. We enjoyed our time there so much that when we started thinking about taking a trip this year it wasn't too hard to decide where we wanted to go. We'll be staying at Atlantis, though this time we're keeping our budget in mind a little bit more than we did before; last time we stayed at The Cove (which, by the way, was beautiful and I would recommend to anyone going there for a special occasion! it's completely worth it), but this time we're staying at the Royal Towers - which is that big building you see on all of their commercials. Woo!! 17 days and counting until we're on our way!

With a little more than two weeks before we head out, I'm locking myself down on diet and drinks (I know I'm not the only woman in the world who does this) to make sure I feel at least somewhat confident in a bathing suit, considering the fact that I don't normally have to wear one this time of year. So, I've been scouring the pages of Cooking Light to find delicious and nutritious meals to make between now and then. I think the hardest thing for me is to reign in my take-out lunches, but with a dinner like this I can *almost* afford to eat poorly one meal of the day. This salad incorporates 2 of my absolute favorite ingredients (asiago cheese and prosciutto) and is super light and yummy! The rotisserie chicken makes this so easy to make during the week, and the homemade croutons don't disappoint.

2 slices sourdough bread, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

Canola cooking spray

1/2 tsp dried basil

1/8 tsp garlic powder

3 tbs EVOO

2 oz very thin slices prosciutto, chopped

2 tbs fresh lemon juice

1/4 tsp salt

2 (5-oz) packages baby arugula (or use mixed greens - as shown in picture)

1 1/2 ounce Asiago cheese, shaved

6 oz shredded skinless, boneless rotisserie chicken breast

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Place bread cubes on a baking sheet and coat with cooking spray. Sprinkle with basil and garlic powder and toss to coast. Place in preheated oven and bake for 8 minutes or until crisp.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and add 1 tbs oil to pan, swirling to coat. Add prosciutto and saute 4 minutes or until prosciutto is crisp. Drain on paper towels.

Combine 2 tbs plus 2 tsp olive oil, lemon juice, and salt in a small bowl and stir well. Place arugula or mixed greens and half of cheese in a large bowl. Add juice mixture and toss well to coat. Divide salad evenly among plates and add chicken, prosciutto, remaining cheese and croutons evenly among each serving.

This recipe will serve 6 two-cup portions or 4 larger servings. I'm also including the nutritional information below, in case you're interested.

Until next time....

Cheers!

Calories: 193

Fat: 11.5g (sat 2.9g, mono 5.8g, poly 1.3g)

Protein: 14.4g

Carb: 8.9g

Fiber: 1.5g

Chol: 37mg

Iron: 14mg

Sodium: 481mg

Calc: 142mg

*All nutritional information from Cooking Light Magazine, April 2012 

Weeknight Bites: White BBQ Chicken Potatoes

If you haven't figured it out by now, I am all about making fabulous meals throughout the week while putting forth as little effort as possible. I don't know about you, but when I get home from a long day at the office (not to mention the grueling commute just to get there and back), I just want to veg on the couch. Even though I love to cook, my weeknights just aren't long enough for me to justify spending more than 30 minutes (MAX) in the kitchen after work. While some of the recipes I'll give you here at Cocktail Cutie may be more involved, always check the titles of my post - if something starts with "Weeknight Bites," I promise it will be quick, easy and delicious. This way, you can enjoy more of your free time during the week while still eating food that makes you smile!

Tonight's recipe comes from Cooking Light magazine's March 2012 edition, and I think it's safe to say that this dish has already become a staple in my house. We've had it twice already, and both times my husband and I have raved to each other about how great it is! It's easy, it's affordable, and it's under 500 calories - how can you complain about that? Try it! Your taste buds will thank you.

White BBQ Chicken Potatoes

1 1/2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken breast

2/3 cup canola mayonnaise

1 tbs Dijon mustard

3 tbs white vinegar

1/2 tsp sugar

1/4 tsp salt

2 tsp black pepper

2 garlic cloves, minced

3 tbs pickle relish

4 6oz baking potatoes

2 tbs scallions (green onions), chopped*

*optional

Pre-heat your oven to 450 degrees. Wash baking potatoes and pat dry. Pierce each potato a couple times with a fork and spray lightly with cooking spray. Bake in pre-heated oven for 50 minutes. 

When potatoes are done in the oven, remove from heat and allow to cool for 10 minutes. While potatoes are cooling, mix mayonnaise, mustard, white vinegar, sugar, salt, black pepper and garlic in a small bowl until blended. Add shredded chicken and relish and mix together until chicken is coated. 

 After the potatoes have cooled for 10 minutes, slice them down the middle. Push potatoes lightly on either side to open them up, and add the chicken mixture. Sprinkle with green onions, if desired. Serve immediately.

This recipe will serve four; however, since I typically only cook for two during the week, I bought all of the ingredients and then halved the recipe. This way, I was able enjoy this dish for more than one night...and after I tried it, I was definitely glad I did! It really is amazing, and I'm already planning to make it again. Until next time...

Cheers!