I have been very unsuccessfully looking for Tarragon infused Olive Oil. Everywhere I went there were all kinds of olive oil such as lemon, basil, hazelnut, etc.  I wanted to make a roasted chicken salad with almonds and tarragon and the Tarragon Oil will be a very nice touch. I found walnut oil instead, and it has been a great discovery for me. I bought it thinking about that zucchini bread that I have not been able to master as of yet, yes, that one.

Whoever said the secret is on the sauce, was absolutely right.  I didn’t know that walnut oil would be so great on a salad dressing. It gives the vinaigrette a nutty, rich and creamy taste.  A very distinctive and scrumptious flavor.

We always try to have a salad as an entree at least once a week to keep things light around here. This salad can be served as a start dish, an entree or a side dish. Perfect for lunch or a light dinner.

I start by rubbing the chicken with the Balsamic Fig Dressing and grilling it at medium high heat on the skillet until it turns a little brown. Then I let it simmer for a few minutes with vegetable or chicken broth, covered, to make sure it cooks through. Once it is done, I turn the heat to med-high again to reduce the liquid and set it aside to rest – that way it will keep the juices in and will be tender when I cut it.

What about those kumato sweet, grape brown tomatoes….I never knew they existed until we moved to California, what a joy to have found them! Similar to the joy of knowing that Game of Thrones will be airing on the 24th – just 12 days left but who is counting.   I especially miss Ned Stark as it seems as if with him  integrity died in Westeros.  The night is dark and full or terrors…ooooohhhhh.  It really sounds like I am a fan or something, blah.

Back to the salad, I like to make the vinaigrette a little ahead of time, it is very quick and if you use a mason jar is even simpler, just pour, add and shake.

The secret to a well seasoned salad is to dress it as you build it and toss very well.

I add the greens and the tomatoes first and sprinkle with a little salt and pepper, add a drizzle of dressing and start tossing. Add the rest of the ingredients and then top it with the chicken pieces on top.

Below is the full recipe to make this salad.

Enjoy!

Grilled Chicken Salad with Balsamic Fig Vinaigrette

Yield: 2 servings as entree
4 servings as side dish

Ingredients

2 boneless chicken breasts

1/2 green apple, cored and thinly sliced

1 cup or about 10 sweet brown grape tomatoes (kumato)

cut in halves

4 handfuls of mixed greens

1/2 cup of walnuts, toasted and chopped

1/4 cup of vegetable or chicken broth

1/4 cup of goat cheese, crumbled

1/4 cup of olive oil

2 full tbsp of walnut oil

2 tbsp of balsamic fig dressing + 2 tbsp to rub the chicken

2 tbsp of balsamic vinegar

salt + pepper to taste

 

Instructions

Season chicken with a sprinkle of salt and pepper and rub 1/2 tbsp of balsamic fig dressing on each side. Grill chicken at medium high on the skillet for about 4 minutes on each side or until it turns caramelized. Add the vegetable broth and reduce heat to low. Let simmer for a few minutes jut to make sure it cooks through. Turn the heat to med-high for a couple of minutes or until the liquid is very thick and almost evaporated. Set aside on the board.

Toast the walnuts in a small skillet at medium heat for a few minutes, let them cool and chop roughly. Core and slice the apple and sprinkle some fresh lemon juice.

Place the mixed greens, the tomatoes,  apple, walnuts and goat cheese in a large salad bowl. Season with a little salt and pepper and toss. Add the vinaigrette and toss until the salad is coated. Slice the chicken and place on top of the salad. Drizzle some dressing on top and garnish with walnuts.

Fig Balsamic Vinaigrette:

Place the the olive oil, walnut oil, balsamic vinegar and balsamic fig dressing in a mason jar or small bowl, season with salt and pepper and shake or whisk until emulsified or mixed.