Happy Birthday Uncle Jake!
No, I’m not posting a cookie this year for your birthday, even though you haven’t ever turned down any cookie I’ve brought up to the farm. It’s coming up on early goose season and it’s still hot out which got me thinking to the salads I’ve made on those hot August/September afternoons. One of the best things about cooking for my Uncle Jake is that as long as you avoid green peppers he eats anything I make – and I’m pretty sure enjoys it too. I always try to bring up and incorporate a lot of fresh fruits and veggies, something I know he usually doesn’t take the time to cut up himself. So posting this chicken, pear, and raspberry salad on his birthday this year seemed appropriate. And it’s one of my few salad recipes with no bell peppers.
Either this salad or something similar (or maybe both!) will very likely find its way onto the hunting season menu. This salad is starts with a bed of spring greens and then is topped with all kinds of fresh fruit – pears, raspberries, and some pomegranate. Chicken, a little red onion, candied walnut, and feta finish it off. The poppyseed dressing is one of my favorites, I love using Greek yogurt to make it creamy and a little tangy. It pairs really well with fresh sweet berries.
Here’s what you need:
Start by mixing up the dressing. This is one I spent a lot of time tasting and adjusting to get the right balance of acid in the dressing, feel free to tinker with the ingredients to your tastes. You’ll want a 5.3 oz container of plain Greek yogurt, extra virgin olive oil, cider vinegar, honey, poppy seeds, salt and pepper.
Pound two chicken breasts to an even thickness and then sprinkle with your favorite seasoning, I like Penzey’s Ozark or Mural of Flavor.
Grill or cook in a hot pan with a little oil for about 4 minutes per side until the chicken reaches 165 degrees.
Once the chicken is done, let it rest for about 5 minutes and then dice it up.
Meanwhile thinly slice up a pear and some red onions.
Build the salad with a base of spring greens, the chicken, raspberries, pears, pomegranate seeds, candied walnuts, the onion and some feta. And then drizzle with the dressing.
Enjoy!
- Dressing:
- 1 5.3 oz container of plain Greek yogurt
- 2 t + 1 T extra virgin olive oil
- 2 T cider vinegar
- 1 t + 1 T honey
- 1 t poppy seeds
- Salt
- Pepper
- Salad:
- A container of spring greens
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, pounded to an even thickness
- Your favorite seasoning mix like Penzey’s Ozark or Mural of Flavor
- Raspberries
- 1 pear, thinly sliced
- ½ c red onion, thinly sliced
- Pomegranate seeds
- Candied nuts
- Feta
- Whisk together all dressing ingredients and set aside, this can be done a day or two before.
- Season the chicken with seasoning to your taste – I look for a light and even coating.
- Cook chicken over a medium-high grill or in a nonstick pan over medium-high heat with a little oil for about 4 minutes per side or until it reaches 165 degrees. Remove from heat, let rest for 5 minutes and then dice up.
- Build the salad with a bed of spring greens, chicken, raspberries, pears, red onion, pomegranate seeds, candied nuts and feta. Toss with dressing.
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