Wrap It Up With Fresh Summer Salsa

Have a lot of vegetables and no idea what to do with them?  The end of summer is notorious for this type of problem.  We had at least 5 green peppers and tomatoes in our refrigerator.  Our neighbors have a garden and frequently offer vegetables to share with us; which is very kind of them.

I had all these vegetable and no idea what to do with them.  After brain storming, I took 3 boneless chicken breasts and baked them at 425 for 40 minutes.  I sprinkled lemon pepper and salt over the chicken.  While they were baking, I took the liberty of getting other household chores done.  It was nice to be baking while also working on my every day tasks.  It allowed me the time I needed.

While I was washing dishes, an idea came to me! .... Chicken with Basil Salsa.

Bake time = 30 - 40 minutes (depending on size of chicken)

Prep time = 15 minutes

Chicken Ranch Wrap with Basil Salsa

- 2 or 3 large chicken breast

- 2 or 3 tomatoes, diced

- 1 or 2 green peppers, diced

- 1/4 cup sweet onion, diced

- 2 TBSP fresh basil, roughly chopped

- 1/2 TBSP of Extra Virgin Olive Oil

- 1/2 TBSP lemon juice

- Salt and pepper

- 1/4 TBSP smoked paprika

- (Optional) Chipotle or Chili seasoning, only a couple sprinkles or depending on your personal spicy scale

Additional Items:

- Whole wheat tortillas

- Ranch salad dressing (what ever brand you prefer)

Place the chicken on a baking pan and bake 425 for 35 to 40 minutes - depending on the size of the chicken.  While the chicken is baking, dice and mix the vegetables together with EVOO and lemon juice in a separate bowl.  Add the seasoning.  Combine thoroughly.  Taste and add more seasoning as needed.

When the chicken is done baking, let it cool for 5 or 10 minutes.  Dice the chicken into bite size pieces or long, thin strips.  Add the chicken and salsa to the wrap.  Drizzle with ranch dressing (which is also optional).  Fold in both ends, tuck and roll the wrap closed.  Cut in half and serve.

An easy side dish:

Rinse and cut fresh green beans.  Add sesame oil to a skillet over medium-high heat.  Saute the green beans with rosemary, salt and pepper.  The combination is outstanding.  You can also combine the green beans with some of your favorite vegetables; such as onions, mushrooms, or even peppers.

Left overs? 

No problem.  The next day I still had a ton of left over chicken meat and salsa, but no tortillas.  If you run into this problem... don't panic.  I boiled 2 1/2 cups of rotelle pasta.  After draining the pasta, I combined the left over chicken and salsa with the pasta, low-fat cheese, salt and pepper.  It was incredibly easy.  So this meal can actually provide a 2-night dinner!  What's not to love about that?

I hope you enjoy this dish for lunch or dinner!  Have a great week.

We could all use a hint of more time.

Copyright 2011 Hint of Thyme.  All rights reserved.