Mason Jar Antipasto Salad

This Mason Jar Antipasto Salad comes together with olives, artichokes, tomatoes, cheese, salami, and a tangy dressing for a big burst of  Mediterranean flavor that will spice up your lunches!

Funny story, I always thought that “antipasto” meant NOT pasta—just anything that wasn’t pasta because my brain has gone to straight mush after 5 years of parenting and no sleep (can I get some praise hands for #teamnosleep?). Based on my definition of the word, cake is antipasto. So is literally everything in the world that isn’t noodles of some sort, which is just..well…not my brightest, shining admission. DON’T JUDGE ME!  No sleep remember?!

Actually antipasto means “before the meal,” so most of the time, it’s traditionally served as an appetizer, much like you would find here in the states. We took some liberties with this Mason Jar Antipasto Salad, and added generous chunks of cheese, chicken, and salami to make a hearty complete meal. This makes a large amount of food that can be used all week!

This is the perfect addition to our lunch time series for a couple of reasons:

1. It’s best served cold.
2. It’s easy to throw together, as it’s mostly comprised of prepared ingredients that can be picked up at your local salad bar, or grocery store canned and jarred food aisles.
3. TWO WORDS…MASON. JAR.

Who doesn’t love a good jarred concoction?!  We’re talking ease of preparation, travel, refrigeration, all in one easy to clean storage container.  Are they so last season?  If so, we’re bringing them back baby via this super flavorful Mason Jar Antipasto Salad!

Let us know, are mason jars in or out, and would you like to see more in the future?!  Comment below with what you’d like to see in a jar!

Mason Jar Antipasto Salad

The perfect cold lunch salad, in a handy container for easy clean up!

• Author: Jess Gaertner
• Prep Time: 15
• Cook Time: 30
• Total Time: 45 minutes
• Yield: 8-10

Ingredients

For chicken:

• 1 pound chicken breast, rinsed and patted dry
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper

For salad mixture:

• 1 1/2 cups assorted brined olives, pitted
• 3/4 cup pickled garlic
• 2 cups pickled artichoke hearts, quartered
• 2 cups tomatoes, quartered
• 8 ounces cheese of choice, cubed*
• 4 ounces salami, quartered
• 1 large head of romaine lettuce, chopped

For Vinaigrette:

• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and place chicken breasts on the pan.
3. Brush each breast with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes or until juices run clear.
5. When chicken is cooked through, remove from oven, let cool, then cube into bite sized pieces.
6. While your chicken is baking, prepare your dressing by whisking all ingredients in a medium mixing bowl until well incorporated and set aside.
7. In a large mixing bowl combine remaining ingredients, except for romaine, and mix well.
8. Pour dressing over salad ingredients, and stir to coat evenly.
9. To pack mason jars, place chopped romaine in the bottom of the jar to fill about 1/3 of the way.  Then add antipasto mix on top for the remaining 2/3.
10. Secure lid, and store in the refrigerator until ready to eat.
11. ENJOY!

Notes

• For dairy-free/Whole 30: omit the cheese