At Target100, we are big fans of planning and preparing meals in advance so we have nourishing meals throughout the week that are high in protein, fiber rich, full of whole foods, and leave us feeling satisfied. We love Mason jar salads because they are fun to make, can be prepared in batches, and are super tasty to enjoy!

This recipe is a creative way to layer ingredients so the lettuce doesn’t get wilted. This is a crucial step for keeping a Mason jar salad fresh, how everything is layered in the jar truly matters. First add wet ingredients, such as the salad dressing and water-rich vegetables like tomatoes and cucumber. Save the lettuce for last so it stays fresh. The middle layers of jalapeno and sweet corn bring out the best of the southwest. (Cannot handle the heat of a jalapeno? No worries, some sliced red onion is a nice, more mild alternative.) Each bite will provide a hint of spiciness and a touch of sweetness.

Within the Target100 program, we focus on around 100 grams of carbohydrates daily within the Food pillar. However, that target is customizable to what is sustainable for you and your goals. This salad may be slightly higher in carbohydrates, but we find with planning out meals, you can create space to enjoy some whole foods that might be naturally higher in carbohydrates like beans and corn.

When you are ready to enjoy your salad, you can tip the jar over, with a lid still on it, to get the dressing starting to mix with you salad ingredients. You can enjoy this recipe after a busy day or use to meal prep for a busy week. This recipe will be a great addition to your routine!

Take a picture of your mason jar salad and share with the Target100 community by tagging us on social media @target100program when you make it so we can see it too!

Looking for more inspiration? Check out our blog and Instagram page for more recipes!

Southwest Chicken Salad recipe

Makes: 1 serving

For the dressing:​

½  cup (8g) cilantro​

¼  cup (70g) Greek yogurt​

1 tsp olive oil​

1 tbsp. lime juice​

½  tsp. coconut sugar​

1 clove garlic​

½  jalapeño pepper​

salt & pepper, to taste

For the salad:​

2 tomatoes, diced​

½ cucumber, diced​

¼ cup sweetcorn, drained​

½ jalapeño pepper, sliced​

1 cup (140g) shredded grilled chicken breast​

½ avocado, sliced​

½ cup black beans, drained​

2 cups (150g) romaine lettuce, chopped

Directions

Make the salad dressing by placing all the ingredients into a high-speed blender or food processor, and blitz until well combined.

Layer the ingredients into a 16-ounce (500ml) mason jar in the following order: spicy cilantro yogurt sauce, tomatoes, cucumber, sweetcorn, jalapeño, chicken breast, avocado, black beans, romaine lettuce.​

Store in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. When ready to serve, tip all the ingredients into a bowl, stir to combine and enjoy.

This recipe has 30 grams of carbohydrates and 31 grams of protein per serving.

This recipe post was written for the Target100 Community by our fantastic dietetic intern, Carmelita Lombera.