Shelly's Recipe

APPLE WALNUT GRILLED CHICKEN SALAD

Category: Salads - Seafood

Chicken Marinade

3 cups water
1 tbsp salt
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp liquid hickory smoke

2 chicken breasts, pounded flat (1/2-inch thick)

Balsamic Vinaigrette

1/4 cup red wine vinegar
3 tbsp sugar
3 tbsp honey
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp minced garlic
1/2 tsp lemon juice
1/4 tsp dried Italian herb blend
1/4 tsp dried tarragon
Dash ground black pepper
1 cup extra virgin olive oil

Candied Walnuts
1 tsp peanut oil
1 tsp honey
2 tbsp granulated sugar
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
1/8 tsp salt
3/4 cup chopped walnuts

4 cups chopped romaine lettuce
2 cups chopped red leaf lettuce
2 cups chopped iceberg lettuce
1 apple, chopped into bite-size pieces
1/4 cup crumbled bleu cheese

Prepare chicken marinade by combining water, salt, garlic powder and liquid smoke in a medium bowl. Mix until salt dissolves. Flatten two chicken breasts with a kitchen mallet to 1/2-inch thick. Drop chicken in marinade, cover and chill for 3 hours. When chicken is done marinating, blot each breast dry, rub with oil, and grill for 3 to 4 minutes per side on high until done. Lightly pepper each breast while grilling.

Make the balsamic vinaigrette by combining all ingredients, except olive oil, in a medium bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until sugar is dissolved. Pour the oil in a thin stream into the bowl while mixing. Continue mixing for several seconds until the dressing thickens. Cover and chill.

Make the candied walnuts by combining peanut oil, honey, sugar, vanilla, and salt in a medium skillet over medium heat in the order listed. When mixture begins to bubble, add chopped walnuts and stir constantly until sugar begins to smoke and/or caramelize. Immediately turn off heat and keep stirring the nuts so that they do not burn. After a minute of stirring off the heat, pour nuts out onto a plate. When nuts cool, break them apart if they have stuck together.

Build each salad by tossing 2 cups romaine lettuce, 1 cup red leaf lettuce, and 1 cup iceberg lettuce with half of the chopped apple and 3 to 4 tbsp of balsamic vinaigrette. Arrange greens on a plate and sprinkle on 2 tbsp of crumbled bleu cheese followed by about 3 tbsp of candied walnuts. Slice each chicken breast into thin strips and lay the chicken on top of the salad and serve. Makes 2 salads

NOTE: Substitute precooked, grilled chicken breast strips from the deli.