Description
A vibrant and nutritious chopped fall harvest salad featuring tender pan-seared chicken breasts, mixed baby greens, cooked quinoa, crisp honeycrisp apple, dried cranberries, feta cheese, and toasted pecans, all tossed in a tangy apple cider vinaigrette dressing. Perfect for a healthy lunch or light dinner that highlights seasonal flavors.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Salad
- 4 cups mixed baby greens
- 1 cup cooked quinoa
- 1 honeycrisp apple, cored and diced
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
- 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
- 1/4 cup toasted pecans
Dressing
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Season the Chicken: Season the chicken breasts generously with salt and black pepper on both sides to enhance the flavor.
- Cook the Chicken: Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken breasts and cook for 6-7 minutes per side until they are fully cooked through and develop a golden brown crust.
- Rest and Slice the Chicken: Remove the chicken from the skillet and allow it to rest for 5 minutes. This helps retain the juices. Then slice the chicken into thin strips for easy mixing into the salad.
- Combine Salad Ingredients: In a large bowl, add the mixed baby greens, cooked quinoa, diced honeycrisp apple, dried cranberries, crumbled feta cheese, and toasted pecans. Gently toss to combine the ingredients evenly.
- Prepare the Dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together the extra virgin olive oil, apple cider vinegar, honey, and Dijon mustard. Season the dressing with salt and black pepper to taste.
- Toss Salad with Dressing: Pour the dressing over the salad mixture in the large bowl and toss thoroughly to ensure every ingredient is lightly coated.
- Add Chicken to Salad: Place the sliced chicken on top of the dressed salad. You can either gently mix the chicken in or arrange it nicely on top for presentation.
- Serve: Serve the salad immediately for best freshness. Alternatively, refrigerate it up to 4 hours to enjoy a chilled salad option.
Notes
- For best results, use fresh, high-quality ingredients especially the honeycrisp apple for optimum sweetness and crunch.
- To toast pecans, lightly heat them in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3-5 minutes until fragrant, stirring frequently.
- Cook quinoa ahead of time and refrigerate to save prep time.
- Make dressing in advance and store covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Adjust seasoning levels of salt and pepper to taste in both chicken and dressing.
- Can be served as a main dish salad or as a hearty side.
