On a sweltering summer night, who wants to cook? Not me! When the temperature soars, I resist the urge to speed-dial carryout by serving no-cook meals. Employing two simple strategies guarantees your family will enjoy a healthy and tasty meal in minutes. For starters, delight in your deli counter and splurge on precooked proteins like chicken or turkey. Many come deboned and shredded. Also, learn to love leftovers, or should I say, planned overs. That way you can transform last night’s pasta into a refreshing salad loaded with veggies. Here are four of my favorite assemble-and-eat, no-cook dinners.
Barbecue lovers, rejoice. No more licking sticky fingers when you serve Barbecue Chicken Cobb Salad. Pick up grilled chicken breasts from the deli counter and toss them with your favorite barbecue sauce. For a showstopping presentation, top chopped lettuce with beautifully layered rows of diced chicken, hard-cooked eggs, shredded cheese, beans, corn and tomatoes – any veggies will work. Drizzle homemade Pesto-Ranch Dressing over the top or serve it on the side.
