It’s summer, time for grilling. But what do you do with Trader Joe’s Balsamic Chicken? There are so many options!
You can make it into a sandwich, put it on pasta, or serve the chicken atop salads.
The possibilities are endless when you have this versatile ingredient in your kitchen.
What to do with balsamic chicken
1. Balsamic chicken sandwich: Grill, the chicken until it is slightly charred and then cut into thin strips or small chunks. Stack onto a bun with lettuce, tomato, and your favorite condiments for a tasty sandwich. A chicken pesto Rosso (basil) would be an excellent condiment to pair this up with!
2. Balsamic chicken salad: Chop up the grilled chicken into bite-size pieces and serve atop a bed of mixed greens. Add fresh veggies, like bell peppers, tomatoes, carrots, or cucumbers for extra crunch!
3. Balsamic pasta: Cook some linguine or fettuccini al dente . Drain and toss with Balsamic Chicken and a light dusting of Parmesan cheese.
4. Balsamic chicken kebabs: Marinate the chicken in balsamic vinegar, olive oil, salt, and pepper for about an hour. Then grill on skewers with veggies!
5. Balsamic chicken panini: Grill some asparagus, zucchini, or peppers and then slice into thin strips. Spread some goat cheese on a sandwich roll (or an English muffin) and grill to melt the cheese. Add fresh arugula, grilled veggies, and balsamic chicken sandwiched in between two halves of the roll for an Italian-inspired panini that’s perfect for lunch or a light dinner.
Grilled Chicken Sandwich
A grilled chicken sandwich is a sandwich that is made with grilled chicken, lettuce, tomato, and your favorite condiments. You can top a chicken sandwich with mayo, honey mustard, or pesto.
Chicken sandwiches are a smart lunch option. Grilled bread and grilled chicken go hand in hand to create this fantastic sandwich.
Whole wheat bread is the healthier choice over white bread for its higher fiber content and because it helps you feel fuller for longer.
In addition to the essential chicken sandwich ingredients, like grilled chicken and fresh veggies like lettuce, tomatoes, or cucumbers — you can add cheese if you want.
For example, brie goes well with roasted tomatoes, but goat cheese works well on any sandwich.
Grilled Chicken Salad
There are many ways to serve the grilled chicken salad. You can make it into the main course or side dish.
Grilled chicken salads are made with mixed greens, grilled chicken, fresh vegetables like tomatoes, bell peppers, cucumbers, pineapples, fresh herbs like parsley or basil, and your favorite dressing.
Besides the typical ingredients, you can add things like walnuts or sunflower seeds for extra crunch. Fruit is also a great addition to grilled chicken salad because it adds sweetness and different flavors.
For the main course salad, you might want to add some feta cheese crumbles on top of your finished product for some added saltiness. For a lighter salad option, you could leave out the cheese.
Grilled Chicken Pasta
You can make grilled chicken pasta by cooking some linguine or fettuccini al dente. Drain the pasta and toss it with your balsamic chicken, veggies, and Parmesan cheese.
Another option is to add cooked shrimp to the sauce before you toss in the pasta.
If you’re feeling like an extra serving of protein or want to add some heartiness to the dish, you can also add some other type of meat.
Grilled Chicken Kebabs
Grilled chicken kebab recipes are easy because all you need to do is marinate the chicken in balsamic vinegar, olive oil, salt, and pepper for about an hour. Then you grill the chicken on skewers with veggies!
If you don’t have a grill, your broiler works just as well and is a little easier to clean up afterward. You can even use a George Foreman Grill, which does all the work for you!
Balsamic Chicken Panini
Grilled chicken sandwiches are easy to make, but paninis are even more accessible.
Asparagus, zucchini, or peppers can be grilled. Then you need to cut the vegetables into thin strips. The cheese needs to go on a sandwich roll (or an English muffin) and then grill it until the cheese is melted.
You can make an Italian-inspired panini. Add fresh arugula, grilled veggies, and balsamic chicken sandwiched between two halves of the roll to make it. This is best for lunch or a light dinner.
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