Marinated grilled chicken tossed with greens, apple, blue cheese, candied walnuts and a tangy balsamic vinaigrette.
Course Salad
Servings 2
Ingredients
Chicken Marinade
3cupswater
1tablespoonsalt
1/2teaspoongarlic powder
1/4teaspoonhickory-flavored liquid smoke
1boneless chicken breasts,pounded to 1/2-inch thickness
oil
ground black pepper
Balsamic Vinaigrette
1/4cupred wine vinegar
3tablespoonsgranulated sugar
3tablespoonshoney
1tablespoonDijon mustard
1/2teaspoonsalt
1/2teaspoonminced garlic
1/2teaspoonlemon juice
1/4teaspoonItalian seasoning
1/4teaspoondried tarragon
pinch ground black pepper
1cupextra-virgin olive oil
Candied Walnuts
1teaspoonpeanut oil
1teaspoonhoney
2tablespoonsgranulated sugar
1/4teaspoonvanilla extract
1/8teaspoonsalt
pinch of cayenne pepper
3/4cupchopped walnuts
Salad
4cupschopped romaine lettuce
4cupschopped red leaf lettuce
1apple,diced
1/2small red onion,sliced
1/2cupdiced celery
1/4cupcrumbled blue cheese
Instructions
Make chicken marinade. Combine water, salt, garlic powder, and liquid smoke in a medium bowl. Mix to dissolve salt. Place chicken in marinade, cover, and refrigerate for 3 hours.
Make balsamic vinaigrette. Whisk together all ingredients except oil in a medium bowl. Gradually pour oil in while whisking continuously. Cover and refrigerate.
Make candied walnuts. Combine (in order listed) the peanut oil, honey, sugar, vanilla, and salt in a medium skillet over medium heat. When mixture starts to bubble, add walnuts and stir constantly until sugar begins to caramelize. Turn off heat and keep stirring walnuts so they do not burn. After 1 minute of stirring. Pour nuts onto a piece of wax paper to cool.
Grill chicken. Heat a gas grill or grill pan over medium-high heat. Remove chicken from marinade and blot dry with paper towels. Rub with oil and season with pepper. Grill for 3 to 4 minutes per side, or until done. Let cool and slice.
For each salad, toss together 2 cups romaine, 2 cups red leaf lettuce, half of the apple, onion, celery, and blue cheese. Mix in desired amount of dressing and top with sliced chicken and walnuts.