Balsamic Chicken Salad and Ciabatta Sandwiches (15 Minute Meal)

I'm always on the lookout for meals that come together fast without tasting like I rushed them, and this one delivers every time. It's a balsamic chicken salad and ciabatta sandwich combo that gets you two meals out of one skillet, plus a homemade balsamic glaze you'll want to keep on hand for everything else in your fridge.

The whole thing, chicken, dressing, salad, and sandwiches, comes together in about 15 minutes start to finish. I make a double batch on purpose. The majority of it goes into sandwiches for my guys and the rest goes into a big salad for me, and there's almost always enough left for lunch the next day.

📖 Recipe

Balsamic Chicken Salad and Ciabatta -15 Minute Meals

I doubled my recipe but you can halve all of the ingredients to serve 4.

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Prep Time:10 minutes mins

Cook Time:5 minutes mins

Total Time:15 minutes mins

Equipment

• Stargazer Skillet

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Ingredients

• 2 packages Grilled & Ready Fully Cooked Chicken Strips
• 4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 6 teaspoons garlic minced and divided
• 4 teaspoons fresh rosemary rinsed and chopped
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons pepper
• ⅔ cup olive oil
• Fresh salad greens of your choice ~ I used an artisan blend and romaine lettuce
• 4 Roma tomatoes sliced
• 8 slices red onions
• ½ cup light mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons Dijon Mustard
• 6 Ciabatta Rolls

Instructions

• Combine balsamic vinegar, 4 teaspoons garlic, rosemary, salt and pepper in bowl. Add olive oil in a slow stream while constantly whisking until well combined.
• Prepare Grilled & Ready Chicken Breast Strips in skillet according to package directions. Reserve 4 tablespoons balsamic dressing for greens and add rest to skillet with chicken and warm through.
• Combine greens, tomatoes and onions and toss with reserved 4 tablespoons of balsamic dressing.
• In bowl whisk mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, 2 teaspoons garlic, salt and pepper.
• To assemble: place rolls on flat work surface and cut in half. Spread mayonnaise mixture on top and bottom of each bun. Divide meat among buns, top with greens and close top of bun.
• For the salad, place greens in bowl, add chicken, onions, tomatoes and balsamic dressing.

As with any of my recipes, calorie counts and nutritional information varies greatly depending on which products you choose to use when cooking this dish.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 314kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 14g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 2mg | Sodium: 513mg | Potassium: 129mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 275IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 18mg | Iron: 0.4mg

Servings: 8 sandwiches and 2 large salads

Calories: 314kcal

Author: Mary Beth

Check out my two ingredient Balsamic Glaze Recipe here.

Make It Extra: Homemade Balsamic Glaze

If you want something a little richer to drizzle over either version, a homemade balsamic glaze takes five extra minutes and makes the whole plate look and taste like you tried harder than you did. Simmer ½ cup balsamic vinegar with 1 tablespoon brown sugar in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring occasionally, until it's reduced by about half and coats the back of a spoon, roughly 8 to 10 minutes. Let it cool slightly, it thickens more as it sits, then drizzle it over the sandwich, the salad, or both.

This homemade balsamic glaze also keeps in the fridge for about two weeks, so double it if you know you'll want it again this week.

A Few Notes

I doubled this recipe to feed a family of five with leftovers for lunch the next day. If you're serving four, halve everything. Calorie counts will vary depending on the exact products you use, especially the mayonnaise and rolls.

Servings: 8 sandwiches and 2 large salads. Prep time 10 minutes, cook time 5 minutes, total time 15 minutes.