Thin cut chicken breasts marinated in balsamic vinegar makes a tasty addition to this fall salad with ripe, juicy pears, blue cheese, and crunchy pomegranate seeds for a little burst of flavor.
Who likes salads for dinner? I have been trying to make a salad for dinner at least once a week. It has to have chicken, meat, or fish if my husband will go along with it. He is such a meat and potato kind of guy.
With Thanksgiving just ending, and now Hanukkah and Christmas are on the horizon, it's a good time to eat a little lighter once in a while. It's a good thing to do all the time, but November and December are huge food months. There are some large meals between all those holidays. Including all the fantastic sweet desserts, and I can't forget about all the appetizers and cocktails. Right? It's no wonder everyone hits the gym in January to work off those holiday pounds and start those healthy lifestyle goals.
So, this yummy fall salad checks all the boxes in terms of what I think makes a great salad, especially for dinner. I like to make salads that have texture and a balance of flavors and a little crunch. Blue cheese, pomegranate seeds, pears, and balsamic vinaigrette are ingredients that go together well.
Winter Pear & Grilled Balsamic Chicken Salad
Serves 4 to 6
Marinade for Chicken:
3 thin-cut chicken breasts
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
Vinaigrette:
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoons honey
1 generous tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
Salad:
1 bunch red leaf lettuce, rinsed, dried, and torn
Seeds from 1 pomegranate
2 ripe pears, sliced thin
Blue cheese crumbles
Combine the ingredients for the marinade in a small bowl and whisk to combine. In a large ziplock food bag, add chicken and marinade—Marinate chicken for 30 minutes or up to 1 hour at room temperature.
Meanwhile, combine the vinaigrette ingredients in a jar with a lid or a salad dressing shaker bottle.
Heat a grill pan over high heat. Brush with a little vegetable oil. Remove chicken from bag and discard marinade. Cook chicken for about 4 minutes on each side, until cooked through, flipping a couple of times.
Remove chicken from the pan and place on a cutting board, and rest for about 5 minutes before slicing.
Place torn lettuce on a serving platter. Arrange sliced pears and chicken on top of lettuce. Scatter pomegranate seeds and blue cheese crumbles on top. Drizzle with balsamic vinaigrette.