Strawberry-Chicken Salad

What a great lunch we had!  Jud and I each had two big helpings of this salad. It is a winner.  I know I have made it before, but I'm not sure I ever put it on my blog.
I found this in Cooking Light magazine in March of 2004.







Printable Version:  Strawberry-Chicken Salad

Ingredients:
4 skinned and boned chicken breast halves (I had one chicken breast that Jud grilled earlier this week. One was plenty for the two of us.
Raspberry Vinaigrette, divided
8 cups mixed salad greens
1 quart strawberries, sliced ( I had about 6 strawberries left-over and used that)
2 pears, sliced (I used one)
2 avocados, peeled and sliced (I used one)
1/2 small sweet onion, diced (I didn't use an onion)
1/2 cup pecan halves, toasted ( I had these, but I forgot to use them)
Combine chicken and 1/2 cup Raspberry Vinaigrette in a large zip-top freezer bag. Seal and chill 1 hour.
Remove chicken from marinade, discarding marinade.
Grill, covered with grill lid, over medium-high heat (350 degrees to 400 degrees) 4 minutes on each side or until done. Let chicken stand 10 minutes; slice. Since I already had my chicken grilled from earlier this week, I didn't do these steps.
Placesalad greens and next 5 ingredients in a large bowl, and gently toss. Divide mixtureevenly between 4 serving plates; top with grilled chicken slices. Serve with remaining Raspberry Vinaigrette.
Raspberry Vinaigrette:
3/4 cup pear nectar
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup raspberry vinegar
3 tablespoons chopped, fresh basil
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
Place all ingredients in a screw-top jar; cover tightly, and shake vigorously until blended. Store in refrigerator for up to 2 weeks, shaking before each serving. (I put all my ingredients in a blender and let it Frappe (my highest setting).

Caprese Salad

We are in Oregon as I write this.  I went to market in Corvallis this morning and bought some heirloom tomatoes to use with this salad.  Two tomatoes cost me $6.00, but I think it was worth it.  I didn't ask Jud if he thought it was worth the cost. Thanks Chet and Carolyn for making this amazing salad to go with the coke roast, potatoes, and carrots.  It was definetely the star of the meal.



Ingredients:
2-3 slices of good tomatoes per person
2-3 slices of mozarella cheese
drizzle of extra virgin olive oil over each serving
drizzle of balsamic vinegar over each serving
basil sprinkled over the top

Amazing

Barbara's Chicken Salad

Another gluten-free lunch from our coast trip. Barbara Higdon made a chicken salad that is out of this world.  I will definately make it again.  With her permission, I am posting this on my blog.  Hope you enjoy it as much as our hiking group did.  Serves 6

Printable Version:
https://sites.google.com/site/whatscookingsherry/barbara-s-chicken-salad

Ingredients for the Dressing:
1 cup mayonnaise
4 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
5 teaspoons honey
2 teaspoons poppy seeds
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Ingredients for the Salad
2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts (I use Members Mark canned chicken from Sam’s Club—much easier and delicious!
3/4 cup pecan pieces, toasted
2 cups red seedless grapes
3 stalks celery, thinly sliced

Method

In a bowl, combine mayonnaise, vinegar, honey, poppy seeds, salt and pepper. Refrigerate until ready to dress the salad. This can be prepared up to 2 days ahead.

Preheat oven to 375°F. Place the chicken breasts in one layer in a baking dish with 1/2 cup water. Cover with foil and bake 25 minutes until completely cooked through. Remove cooked chicken breasts from pan, cool at room temperature for 10 minutes, then cover and refrigerate.

When the chicken is cold, dice into bite-size chunks and transfer to a large bowl. Stir in pecans, grapes, celery and dressing.