BBQ Chicken Salad with Roasted Cauliflower

Look what I got today! A fresh basil plant. Thank you Whole Foods :)

As soon as I saw the fresh basil I immediately wanted to make pesto. However, I had been oddly craving BBQ chicken all day and ultimately, my craving beat out my dreams of whole wheat linguine with pesto. 

When I got home tonight, I preheated the oven and baked two chicken breasts. While the chicken was cooking, I went on a quick run. I normally don't leave my apartment with the oven on, so I ran a little faster than normal because I was a little nervous I would return home to a kitchen in flames. Thankfully, everything worked out nicely. 

After the chicken was almost cooked through, I shredded it with a fork and sauteed it with some BBQ sauce. It didn't occur to me to try and make my own BBQ sauce tonight. Maybe next time. Sticky Fingers-Habanero Hot was pretty good. 

Oh yeah, I forgot to tell you about the best part. While the chicken was simmering away in the BBQ sauce, I drizzled extra virgin olive oil over cauliflower, seasoned with garlic, salt and pepper and roasted it in the oven for 20 mins at 425*. 

For the salad, I put the BBQ chicken on top of a bed of fresh spinach with shaved red onion, baby red and yellow tomatoes, and shredded pepper jack cheese. The chicken was so juicy, I didn't use any salad dressing. Also, I have to say I am completely shocked as to how good the cauliflower turned out. It was nutty, garlicky, and delicious. In fact, I ate all of the cauliflower before I evened touched the salad. Hello new obsession!

For a healthy lunch tomorrow, I took the left over BBQ chicken and sauteed it with 1/4 cup of whole grain brown rice, fresh corn, and sliced red and green bell peppers. I bet the cauliflower will be even better tomorrow!

Ok, now I'm off to raid my kitchen for fulfill my nightly chocolate craving :)