Well…for all of you in Atlanta, happy ICE day! I hope you’re all staying safe and warm over the next couple days. Since I’m stuck inside, I thought this would be a great time to share a new recipe with you. Last Sunday, Craig and I just sort of threw together a dinner that turned into one of the best salads we’ve ever made — so I wanted to share it! We’ve named it the “grilled salad” because everything is grilled and tossed with some romaine lettuce… which you could also grill. We probably will next time. The ingredients are rather simple, as long as you have a pantry stocked with lots of spices. You may need to grab a couple at the store, but I promise it’s worth it. And the bright side is that both seasoning mixes will make enough to store the remainder for next time.

INGREDIENTS::
2 chicken breasts
1 head of romaine lettuce (or a package of pre-washed, organic romaine)
1 red onion
1/2 white onion
1 red bell pepper
1 – 20 oz can pineapple chunks
handful sunflower seeds (optional — we just had them on hand)
olive oil

Vegetable seasoning (this will make enough to have extra): 
2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp paprika
2 tsp onion powder
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp basil
2 tsp ground mustard
1 tsp sea salt

Chicken rub (this will make enough to have extra):
1/2 cup paprika
1/4 cup garlic powder
1/4 cup chili powder
3 tbsp salt
3 tbsp black pepper
2 tbsp onion powder
2 tbsp celery seed
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp dried oregano
1 tbsp thyme
2 tbsp cumin
2 tsp dried mustard
2 tsp coriander
2 tsp allspice

DIRECTIONS:
1. Mix all chicken rub ingredients in blender.
2. Rub thoroughly over chicken breasts (store remaining mix in a container for later use).
3. Mix all veggie seasoning ingredients.
4. Chop onions and red bell pepper, then mix with pineapple chunks. For a little variety, slice the white onions into thin pieces, and chop the red onion into thicker, 1-2″ pieces. Drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle generously with vegetable seasoning.
5. Grill chicken and veggies at approx 300-350 degrees for 25-30 minutes. We used a grill box to cook the veggies over the open flame. You could also use tin foil instead.
6. Chop romaine lettuce and place in bowls.
7. Slice chicken into strips of desired size.
8. Cover romaine with mixture of grilled veggies and chicken. Sprinkle with sunflower seeds.
9. Use whatever dressing you prefer. We used light ranch, and I think it worked perfectly with the flavors.

**DISCLAIMER:: Craig and I collaborated, if you will, on the ingredients of the dish, but I had no part in executing this meal, other than chopping the romaine lettuce. Cheers to our resident grill master.