vinaigrette

Pecan Crusted Chicken & Apple Salad with Maple Balsamic Vinaigrette

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Pecan Crusted Chicken & Apple Salad with Maple Balsamic Vinaigrette

Oh goodness. I don”t even know how to begin telling you how absolutely delicious this salad is. The only thing I can think to say is that it was so good I was craving it for dessert. Really.

Chicken breasts coated in a pecan, sesame seed, flour mixture – pan-fried til crisp and then baked in the oven. Served over a bed of salad greens, apple slices, red onion, dried cranberries and almonds. All of that drizzled with a simple Maple Balsamic Vinaigrette. It”s heaven on a plate I tell you!

My three year old son had three helpings, and gobbled up every last drop of everything. I think this will become a regular at our table when we want something a little lighter but still with the warmth and feel of fall.

As you can see there are no cranberries in the salad pictured, but they are listed in the ingredients below. That”s because both me and my grocery store were lacking in the cranberry department. But I just know they would be perfect in this salad and will be adding them next time.

This is even tasty as leftovers (with everything stored separately). I ate it the next day while the chicken was cold and I thought it was just as delicious as when it was fresh. So, if you wanted to make the chicken ahead and pack this for lunch throughout the week that would be a very viable and tasty option.

I have no problems eating salad for dinner when it tastes this good. If you get tired of all the heavy fall food I encourage you to give this recipe a try.

Pecan Crusted Chicken & Apple Salad with Maple Balsamic Vinaigrette

For the assembly of the salad I don”t have an exact measurement of ingredients because my family likes to make and customize the amounts on their own. Feel free to pre-assemble the salad or leave the ingredients separately for people to make their own.

Pecan Crusted Chicken

  • 4 chicken breasts, flattened slightly

  • 2 tablespoons milk

Coating Mixture

  • 1/4 cup flour

  • 1/2 cup pecans

  • 1 tablespoon sesame seeds

  • 3/4 teaspoon paprika

  • 3/4 teaspoon pepper

  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

Place coating ingredients in a food processor and process until pecans are finely ground, transfer to a shallow dish. Alternatively you can chop the pecans finely by hand and simply mix the ingredients together.

Coat chicken in milk and then in coating mixture. Pan-fry in a small amount of oil, in a large non-stick skillet, until coating is crisp and golden. Transfer to a lightly greased baking sheet. Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes or until cooked through.

Allow to cool slightly before slicing on a diagonal. Or, refrigerate once completely cool for use later.

Maple Balsamic Vinaigrette

  • 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

  • 1/4 cup maple syrup

  • pinch salt

  • 1/4 cup olive oil

Whisk together vinegar, syrup and salt. Whisk in oil, in a steady stream, until combined.

Salad

  • mixed salad greens

  • 2 apples, thinly sliced

  • red onion, sliced

  • dried cranberries

  • pecan crusted chicken, sliced

  • sliced almonds

  • maple balsamic vinaigrette

Place salad greens on a plate. Top with apples, onion and cranberries. Place a chicken breast on top and sprinkle with almonds. Drizzle with vinaigrette just before serving.

Serves: 4

Pecan Crusted Chicken recipe adapted from Taste of Home.

Greek Chicken Kabobs and Salad

By in Main Dish, Meat, Poultry 6 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , ,

Greek Chicken Kabob Salad

I always seem to make salad for supper on the night my husband is most hungry and a hearty meal when he comes home without an appetite. I could be a good wife and let him know ahead of time what we’re eating, so he could prepare his stomach accordingly, but why ruin the surprise? Besides, if I make salad for dinner you better believe there’s going to be dessert. It’s all about balance. :)

The first night I made this we gobbled it down in no time flat and I was craving it for days afterwards. So much so, that I put it on the menu again for the next week.

It uses my favourite Greek Dressing, which is tangy and packed with flavour - it’s a breeze to throw together and stores well at room temperature for quite a while. The chicken is marinated in the dressing, soaking up all that flavour, then threaded onto skewers and cooked on the grill. Throw together a simple salad, with the same dressing, while the meat cooks and you have dinner on the table in no time.

On super-hot days, when appetites are practically non-existent, it makes a light and tasty dinner. But just to make sure, I like to serve it with a side of Foccacia. That way, if James comes home extra hungry he doesn’t have to starve (or eat a double portion of dessert). :)

Greek Chicken Kabobs and Salad

Greek Dressing
  • 1 cup red wine vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons garlic powder
  • 2 teaspoons dried oregano
  • 2 teaspoons dried basil
  • 1.5 teaspoons pepper
  • 1.5 teaspoons salt
  • 1.5 teaspoons onion powder
  • 1.5 teaspoons dijon
  • 3/4 cup olive oil

Place vinegar, seasonings and dijon in a blender or food processor (or use a handheld blender); pulse to combine. With the blender running, slowly pour in oil and process until creamy (emulsified). Store, covered, at room temperature.

Makes: 1.5 cups

Greek Chicken Kabobs
  • 1 pound chicken breasts, cut into chunks
  • 1/4 cup greek dressing

Place chicken in a large resealable plastic bag or tupperware; coat with dressing. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours to marinate (or leave at room temperature for 30 minutes).

Thread onto metal or soaked-wooden skewers. Grill over medium heat until cooked through.

Salad
  • 130g baby spinach (8 cups)
  • 1 cucumber, halved lengthwise and chopped
  • 200g cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1 cup cubed feta
  • 1/2 cup olives, cut in half lengthwise
  • 1/2 red onion, sliced thinly
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • greek dressing, to taste

Place spinach, cucumbers, tomatoes, feta, olives and onion in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper; toss to coat. Add dressing and toss again. Serve immediately.

Serves: 4

Greek Dressing adapted from Allrecipes.

Fruity Red Onion Vinaigrette & A Simple Salad

By in Condiments, GF Sides, Gluten Free, Sides 9 Comments Tags: , , , , ,

Red Onion Vinaigrette

I made this salad for my company over the weekend. I had plans to make a couple different salads but we all liked this one so much that we couldn’t seem to stay away from it. Sorry Mr. Caesar, you have been trumped.

This is my favourite homemade vinaigrette so far. Most are too oily for my taste, but this one melds together so perfectly it’s hard to tell the ingredients apart. I was quite surprised at how fruity the vinaigrette tasted. In fact, I was asked what type of fruit was in the dressing. I suspect that could be in part, because of it’s lovely pink hue.

It pairs wonderfully with a simple salad of greens, fruit and nuts. It also makes a wonderful dip for fresh fruit. I seriously can’t get enough of it. If a dressing is so good that I can’t stop eating my fruits and veggies, then I know its a keeper.

Red Onion Vinaigrette

adapted from Grand Slam

  • 2 Tbsp. white vinegar
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup canola oil
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1/4 cup red onion, chopped
  • 1/2 tsp. dry mustard
  • 1 Tbsp. water
  1. Place all ingredients in a blender and process until smooth.
  2. Store covered in the refrigerator for up to one week.

Makes: 2/3 cup

* Stir before each use.

Simple Salad with Oranges and Almonds

  • 4 cups fresh spinach
  • 1/4 cup sliced almonds
  • 1/2 cup canned mandarin oranges, drained
  • 3 Tbsp. red onion vinaigrette
  1. Clean spinach and tear or cut into bite sized pieces.
  2. Place a non-stick pan over medium heat. Add almonds and toast just until fragrant.
  3. In a large bowl, toss together spinach, almonds and oranges.
  4. Add dressing and toss to coat. Taste. Add more dressing if necessary. Serve immediately.

Makes: 4 (1 cup) portions

* Use any combination of greens, fruit and nuts that you like.

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