easy outdoor lunch

Since the beaches are so crowded these days, I have to go to greater lengths to find an uncrowded spot for dinner. This is where my secret spot at an unnamed lagoon comes in handy. Just a quick standup paddle away, and we can have a beach all to ourselves. Since you can put a ton of weight on a paddle board, I don’t have to pack light.

Here’s a simple recipe for a fresh chicken salad. All whole ingredients.

• 6-10 chicken tenderloins
• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 handful cherry tomatoes cut in half
• 3 cloves garlic
• Olive oil
• 4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• thyme

1.  Marinate chicken in balsamic vinegar, olive oil, thyme, and minced garlic for about an hour
2. Add to pan on medium heat and color the meat but don’t burn. You want to hear a sizzle, but turn it down if it starts to color too much. When they are almost finished cooking, add about a 1/4 cup of water to the pan to get the sticky colored parts loose. This will add moisture to the chicken.
3. Let chicken cool and put in fridge.
4. When cool, cut into fine chunks and add mayo, Dijon mustard, tomatoes, and a splash of olive oil. Mix and serve on good bread.

You can pair it with a simple side salad. Featured is an easy beet salad. Just chunk up cooked beats, add a handful of feta cheese, cilantro, and balsamic vinegar with some good olive oil. Simple. Don’t complicate it more than it needs to be.