RECIPES + PAIRINGS
GRILLED CHICKEN AND PEAR SALAD
4-6 people
INGREDIENTS
- 4 chicken thighs or 2 chicken breasts (boneless skinless if you prefer)
- 3-4 pears – asian, bosc, anjou or other – quartered and cored
- 2-3 cups baby kale
- 1 head of romaine – cleaned and chopped
- 1/2 cup marcona almonds – rough chop
- 1/2 cup pomegranate arils
- 1/2 cup feta cheese crumbles
- 1 avocado – peeled, cleaned and cut into small pieces or wedges
Dressing
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup white balsamic vinegar
- 1 tsp dijon mustard
- 1 T fresh lemon juice
- 1 small shallot – minced
- 1 garlic clove – minced
- 1 tsp honey
- salt and freshly ground pepper
DIRECTIONS
In a bowl combine vinegar, mustard, lemon juice, honey, salt and pepper. Whisk mixture and slowly add olive oil until emulsified. Taste and adjust if necessary.
Place chicken on a sheet pan, brush both sides with olive oil, then salt and pepper, set aside. Prepare pears, brush with olive oil and a pinch of salt. Roughly chop almonds, place in a bowl. Prepare pomegranate, feta and avocado and set aside.
Heat grill on high until hot, brush grates with oil – turn to medium high and grill chicken and pears until nicely charred and done. For chicken thighs grill 6-8 minutes per side, turning as needed until done and internal temperature is 165 degrees. For chicken breast cook each side about 10 minutes, turning as needed until done and 165 as well. Grill pears 3-5 minutes turning as needed. Let chicken rest before slicing. Chop or slice pears.
A chopped salad simply means similar sizes of ingredients all mixed together. In a large wooden bowl or platter toss the ingredients together with the dressing, taste and adjust with more dressing, salt and freshly ground pepper.