You guys. It has been unbearably hot here.
It got up to 108 degrees on Friday. Thursday night, at 10 p.m., one hour after the sun went down—it was still 100 degrees outside.
Add to the disgusting heat this: my car’s air conditioning doesn’t work. My car is a raggedy beast, but it’s lasted my 11 years and just shy of 200,000 miles, so I’m not ready to give it up yet—but damn. I almost drove it off a bridge yesterday when it was 103. Ugh.
Thankfully, I’m not out in the heat of the day most of the time. Having no air conditioning in your car isn’t so bad when you only drive at night or right after the sun comes up. But when I have to drive in the afternoon it’s downright miserable. Even with the windows down it’s no help. It just circulates hot, sticky air. Yuck.
When it gets this steamy outside, I start eating less heavy meals and opt for salads and the like. Hot, heavy meals just make you feel worse in this apocolyptic heat. Trust me.
This salad hits the spot. It’s got everything you need in a good one: protein, cheese, a variety of vegetables, and bacon.
Everything is better with bacon.
I went ahead and basically threw two salads together: a BLT one and a balsamic chicken one. There’s a lot of stuff going on here, what with the two different flavors and then the addition of feta AND avocado…but trust me. It all works together.
This balsamic dressing is pretty much to die for. I could almost drink the stuff, but then again I am obsessed with vinegar. Make your own so you know what all is going into it, and keep some leftover to drizzle on just about anything. You can also use it as a marinade (which I did with this chicken).
BLT & Balsamic Chicken Salad
A BLT salad with balsamic chicken, feta, and avocado.
Ingredients
- 1 lb. chicken breast, cut into strips
- 5 strips of bacon, cooked and crumbled
- 3-4 cups mixed salad greens
- 1/2 red onion, sliced thin
- 1 avocado, sliced
- 1/2 cup feta cheese
- 2 roma tomatoes, diced
- 2 TBS. olive oil
For the balsamic dressing:
- 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 TBS. water
- 2 tsp. Italian seasoning (basil, oregano, parsley)
- 1 tsp. minced garlic
- salt & pepper, to taste
Directions
- In a small bowl, whisk together balsamic vinegar, 1/4 cup oil, water, Italian seasoning, garlic, salt and pepper. Pour a couple of tablespoons of the dressing into a shallow bowl and add chicken, tossing to coat. Let marinate for at least 10 minutes in the fridge.
- Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add chicken and cook, about 3-4 minutes per side, until cooked through. Set aside and let cool. Slice chicken to serve on salad.
- Make the salad: arrange all ingredients in a large bowl. Top with bacon, chicken, avocado, cheese, onion, and tomatoes. Serve with reserved dressing.
Step-By-Step Instructions
In a small bowl, whisk together balsamic vinegar, 1/4 cup oil, water, Italian seasoning, garlic, salt and pepper.
Pour a couple of tablespoons of the dressing into a shallow bowl and add chicken, tossing to coat. Let marinate for at least 10 minutes in the fridge.
Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add chicken and cook, about 3-4 minutes per side, until cooked through. Set aside and let cool. Slice chicken to serve on salad.
Make the salad: arrange all ingredients in a large bowl. Top with bacon, chicken, avocado, cheese, onion, and tomatoes. Serve with reserved dressing.
leencuisine.com 
This looks delicious for a hot day! I’ll have to add the ingredients to my shopping list!
It has been hitting the spot with the heat we’ve been having!