Saturday, February 11, 2012

Chicken and Orange Salad with Grapefruit Vinaigrette

A salad in winter? Who ever heard of such a thing. On a nice sunny day, it seems much more natural than a heavy, hearty stew. Since citrus fruits are in season, this is a great, fresh, wholesome meal. Add in a few slices of bread and you have a great lunch or dinner that comes together rather quickly.

I got my inspiration for this salad from a salad in Kraft's Food and Family magazine (recipe here). I added some pan-grilled chicken seasoned with a basic Italian seasoning blend and also used a homemade grapefruit vinaigrette instead of bottled balsamic dressing. Theirs has bacon on it (which would be delicious), but I decided to leave it out so the dish would have a lighter feel. I also used fresh mandarin oranges since they are in season, instead of using canned, but by all means feel free to use canned ones. I was going to add some pecans for some crunch, but forgot until after I took the photo, but they added a new dimension, which I highly recommend.

I do believe I've found my new favorite winter salad.



Chicken and Orange Salad with Grapefruit Vinaigrette
Serves 4

2 chicken breasts, skinned and boned
1 tsp Italian seasoning
Olive oil
1/4 red onion, sliced thinly
8 mandarin oranges, peeled and segmented (or 2 small cans)
Mixed greens
4 handfuls pecans
1 tbsp grapefruit juice
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
4 tbsp olive oil
1/4 tsp each salt and pepper

1. Cut chicken breasts in half lengthwise, then pound with a mallet to 1/4" inches thick. Season with salt pepper and Italian seasoning. Heat olive oil in a large saute or grill pan over med-high heat and cook chicken until done. Remove from pan and set aside.
2. For dressing, combine grapefruit juice, white wine vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper. Whisk until an emulsion forms.
3. To assemble salads, slice chicken breasts, then lay on top of a bed of mixed greens. Sprinkle orange segments, onion slices and pecans over the top. Drizzle with dressing and season with salt and pepper.

Enjoy!

Linked at Things that make you say mmmm, The Project Queen , Food Corner

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