MENU DESCRIPTION: “A masterwork of flavors. Grilled, marinated chicken breast crowns this fresh mix of delectable greens, crisp Granny Smith apples, rich crumbled blue cheese, and sweet candied walnuts. Tossed in our tangy balsamic vinaigrette.”
Sometimes I feel like a C.S.I. To re-create this baby I ordered several of these salads to go, and then sat down with a magnifying glass and carefully picked out each of the bits and pieces and separated them into smaller bowls. Sure, this was tedious work, but it made it easy to measure out each ingredient for the most accurate clone recipe. Next, I cooked a ton of chicken, each with different versions of the marinade, until I found the one that worked. The smoky marinade for the chicken here is basically a brine that adds just the right amount of saltiness and flavor through osmosis, so be sure not to let the chicken soak longer than specified. Of course, the lead performer in any salad is the dressing, since it is responsible for much of what you taste.The tangy balsamic vinaigrette is delicious with honey, Dijon mustard, garlic, and tarragon in there. You can make an easy emulsion out of it with a hand mixer. The best part is that you’ll end up with leftover vinaigrette that you can use to make a couple more meal-size salads, and then some. Case closed.
CHICKEN MARINADE
- 3 cups water
- 1 tablespoon salt
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon hickory-flavored
- liquid smoke
- 2 chicken breast fillets, pounded
- flat (½-inch thick)
- oil
- ground black pepper
BALSAMIC VINAIGRETTE
- ¼ cup red wine vinegar
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon minced garlic
- ½ teaspoon lemon juice
- ¼ teaspoon dried Italian herb
- blend
- ¼ teaspoon dried tarragon
- pinch ground black pepper
- 1 cup extra virgin olive oil
CANDIED WALNUTS
- 1 teaspoon peanut oil
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup chopped walnuts
SALAD
- 4 cups chopped romaine lettuce
- 2 cups chopped red leaf lettuce
- 2 cups chopped iceberg lettuce
- 1 apple, chopped into bite-size
- pieces
- ¼ cup crumbled blue 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 ½-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 in the order listed, peanut oil, honey, sugar, vanilla, and salt in a medium skillet over medium heat. 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, turn off the heat, and 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 tablespoons of balsamic vinaigrette. Arrange greens on a plate and sprinkle on 2 tablespoons of crumbled blue cheese followed by about 3 tablespoons of candied walnuts. Slice each chicken breast into thin strips and lay the chicken on top of the salad and serve.
- MAKES 2 SALADS.
TIDBITS
You can save time by using precooked grilled chicken breast strips that are available in the deli section of your supermarket. Foster Farms is one leading brand.
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