California Club Blue Cheese Chopped Salad

Lately I've been craving salad, not a simple side salad with a few veggies but a hearty dinner salad. I've been wanting to make a chopped salad where all the ingredients are cut to uniform size and this California Club Blue Cheese Chopped Salad sounded perfect.

What a great salad. The dressing is so simple but deliciously tangy and I loved the combination of ingredients. I knew SP wouldn't be satisfied with just the veggies and beans so I bulked it up with a roasted chicken breast and frozen corn, my new favorite salad addition. I love the pop of the kernels when I bite into them.

Baby Girl helped me cut up all the ingredients and ended up snacking on everything. I was worried about her spoiling her dinner but how do you say no when your child wants to eat veggies (answer - you don't). I was anxious to see if she would eat the salad once it was assembled and dressed and get this, she did! I gave her a big girl bowl (read: a ceramic bowl rather than her plastic ones) and she chowed down. I was so proud.

California Club Blue Cheese Chop Salad
Modified from Lauren's Latest

Salad:
2 large romaine hearts, washed and thinly sliced
1/2 pint grape tomatoes, quartered
6 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 chicken breast, roasted* and cubed
1/4 cup blue cheese crumbles
1 ripe avocado, diced
1/2 cup rinsed and drained black beans
1 cup frozen corn

Dressing:
2 cloves garlic, minced
Juice of 1 large lemon, about 3 tablespoons
2/3 cup mayonnaise
Salt & pepper, to taste

Toss all ingredients for salad together and set aside.

For dressing, whisk all ingredients together and toss with salad. Serve immediately.

*Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Spread a piece of aluminum foil across a baking sheet, and arrange chicken breasts in a single layer in the center. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Fold the aluminum foil over the chicken breasts, and enclose them to form a "packet." Bake the chicken (on the baking sheet) 35-45 minutes, or until it is cooked through.