July 28, 2010 by Heather Trim

    In this sweltering heat, who wants to make it hotter inside your apartment than necessary? Grilling is a great option for keeping the heat outside. Make this quick and easy meal for you and your roommates. It works out to only $3.95 per person — not even McDonald’s can beat that meal!

Shopping list
    (Based on Wal-Mart prices, serves 4)
    • 4 boneless skinless Chicken Breasts: $5.76
    • 1 bag prewashed cut Lettuce (your choice): $1.50
    • 1 bottle Italian Dressing: $1.22
    Basics total: $8.48

Optional salad toppings:
    • 1 bag Croutons (any flavor): $1
    • Bacon Bits: $2.79
    • 1 small bag of grated Cheddar Cheese: $1.93
    • Roma Tomatoes: $1.58 lb
     • Add more of your own favorite salad toppings of your choice: cucumbers, carrots, etc.
    Grand total: $15.78

Oh, the marinade
    Place the raw chicken breast in a bowl with a cup of Italian dressing. Cover and marinate for about an hour. The longer you marinate, the more flavor that gets pulled into the meat.

Grand grillin’
    Fire up the grill and let it heat up for several minutes. Over medium-high heat, place the chicken breasts on the grill for about 10 to 15 minutes. With a pair of tongs, pick up each chicken and slosh it around in the bowl of Italian dressing before flipping over. Grill on the second side for another 10 to15 minutes. (You can also use a marinade brush to wipe more Italian dressing over top — dipping is just quicker.)

Tossing the salad
    While you’re waiting for it to cook and depending on the thickness of the chicken (which can take anywhere from 20 – 35 minutes), prepare your salad. If you bought the awesome pre-washed salad in a bag, just divide into servings on plates. If you bought a head of lettuce you’ll need to wash the leaves and shake off the excess water. Wash and chop any other fresh veggies you’re adding to the salad: tomatoes, carrots, cucumbers, etc.

Check the chicken
    Check to make sure the chicken is done two ways: Cut open to see that there is no pink at the center, or use a thermometer. When using a thermometer it should read approximately 160-180°F. Never eat raw/pink chicken or anything under 150°F because of bacteria — your roommates might not like to spend the next day at the edge of the toilet. When cooking chicken, it’s important to make sure it’s done all the way through.

Add some color
    Slice up each chicken breast for easier eating, lay it on each bed of lettuce and your meal is ready. Add your favorite salad toppings: croutons, grated cheese, pineapple tidbits, bacon bits, etc. Top with Italian dressing, or any other dressing of your choice. The more colorful ingredients you add to the salad, the better it looks and the better it tastes. Let’s get grillin’. You can do it!

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