Layered mason jar salads with crispy chicken, smoky bacon, hard-boiled eggs, and tangy blue cheese for convenient portable lunches.
# What You'll Need:
→ For the Crispy Chicken
01 - 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
02 - 1 cup buttermilk
03 - 1 cup panko breadcrumbs (use gluten-free if needed)
04 - 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
05 - 1/2 tsp garlic powder
06 - 1/2 tsp paprika
07 - 1/2 tsp salt
08 - 1/4 tsp black pepper
09 - Olive oil spray
→ For the Salad
10 - 4 cups romaine lettuce, chopped
11 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
12 - 1 cup cucumber, diced
13 - 2 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and quartered
14 - 4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
15 - 1 avocado, diced (add just before serving)
16 - 1/2 cup blue cheese, crumbled
17 - 1/2 small red onion, finely sliced
→ For the Dressing
18 - 1/3 cup mayonnaise
19 - 2 tbsp Greek yogurt
20 - 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
21 - 1 tbsp lemon juice
22 - 1 tsp Dijon mustard
23 - 1 tbsp fresh chives, chopped
24 - Salt and pepper, to taste
# How to Prepare:
01 - Marinate the chicken pieces in buttermilk for at least 15 minutes. Preheat oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - In a bowl, mix panko, Parmesan, garlic powder, paprika, salt, and pepper. Remove chicken from buttermilk, coat in the breadcrumb mixture, and place on the baking sheet. Mist with olive oil spray.
03 - Bake for 18–20 minutes or until golden and cooked through. Let cool slightly.
04 - Whisk together mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, vinegar, lemon juice, Dijon, chives, salt, and pepper until smooth.
05 - In four large mason jars, layer ingredients in the following order for best freshness: 2 tbsp dressing, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, bacon, blue cheese, hard-boiled egg, crispy chicken bites, romaine lettuce, avocado (add last or just before serving to prevent browning).
06 - Seal jars and refrigerate until ready to eat. When serving, shake the jar or pour into a bowl to combine.
