almonds

The phrase ‘Easy as Cajun Chicken and Grapefruit Lettuce Cups’ was coined after this exact recipe. I’m obsessed with this quick, healthy, minimal-heat-required recipe and you will soon be too. 

Is it summer yet? Is it, is it, is it?

I’m ready!

I’m at the beach this week, so I suppose this is my summer.

Ya know, adulthood isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Remember the days when you got 10 weeks of summer vacation? Remember how much you looked forward to that? The excitement… The anticipation… All the planning and daydreaming of what the summer would bring… Fun! Trouble! Romance!

I mean, I still do all that daydreaming… There’s just no summer vacation attached to it…

This is the second year I’ve done a personal beach week. I’m lucky — my parents have a beach condo, so no planning ahead required and no expenses accrued.

When I skip down here for a weekend, yes, I definitely bring a friend and plan to have a little fun! But this week is about peace, quiet, rest, and relaxation. I did invite Dad (he’s the other quiet member of the family), but he declined. Umm… and be glad you aren’t here Dad — I have literally taken over the place. My stuff is EVERYWHERE. I’m dreading cleaning up in the morning.

In my normal life, I’m pulled in so many directions. Working eight+ hours a day, blogging, kickball team, tennis team, gym, side job, family occasions, girls’ nights… it all builds up until… I need to either implode or decompress. So here I am. At my personal beach week. Decompressing.

And it just so happens, one of my favorite ways to decompress is to create in the kitchen! Plus, after my freckled skin was burnt on Day 1, spending time indoors looking at the ocean is quite an attractive idea.

I’m a bit obsessed with grapefruit right now. I’m not sure why. Maybe because it’s pink. And pink = pretty. I’m also obsessed with quick, healthy, minimal-heat-required meals. And I’m obsessed with these inexpensive marcona almonds from Aldi. And that, my friends, is how a good recipe is born. Obsession A + Obsession B + Obsession C. That is the key. Easy as pie Cajun Chicken and Grapefruit Lettuce Cups.

I made five of these. I’ve eaten two. It took me exactly 4 1/2 bites to eat two of the lettuce cups. 1/2 a bite for all those little drippings that dripped out the side and that I wiped up with my finger (and then licked, of course). That means, I’ve got six bites waiting for me in the fridge and my stomach is a’growlin’.

Here’s what I like about Cajun Chicken and Grapefruit Lettuce Cups:

• no utensils required
• a little heat tempered by cool Greek yogurt
• juicy grapefruit
• crunchy, salty almonds
• mint! so you don’t have to brush your teeth after… (?)
• swimsuit-friendly (like, you’re gonna look good and feel good even after cramming your face with these little snack-lunch-treats)

You are 15 minutes away from eating some of these, but I’m only 15 seconds away, so pardon me…

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Cajun Chicken and Grapefruit Lettuce Cups

Easy as Cajun Chicken and Grapefruit Lettuce Cups was coined after this exact recipe. I'm obsessed with this quick, healthy, minimal-heat-required recipe and you will soon be too. 

Course Main

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes

Total Time 15 minutes

Servings 4 servings

Calories 198 kcal

Author my Bottomless Boyfriend

Ingredients

• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1 pound chicken tenderloins
• 8 leaves bibb lettuce
• 1/2 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt
• 1 grapefruit flesh removed with a grapefruit spoon or a sharp knife
• 1/4 cup plain almonds chopped
• 1/4 cup fresh mint chopped

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degree F. Line a baking sheet with foil and spray with cooking spray.
2. Mix together cumin, chili powder, and paprika. Run mixture onto chicken tenderloins and lay on prepared baking sheet. Bake about 6 minutes, turning halfway, until cooked all the way through. Once cool, slice tenderloins into strips.
3. Lay lettuce cups flat. You are going to fill them as if they are tacos. Spread Greek yogurt in a strip down the middle. Divide chicken strips evenly among lettuce cups. Divide grapefruit evenly among the lettuce cups. Sprinkle with almonds and mint. Enjoy.