RECIPE: Sarah’s Summer Salad w/ Chicken

I’m sharing an all-time favorite recipe in our house: Sarah’s Summer Salad with Chicken. It’s my own take on a fresh, yet hearty salad. I’m not typically one to eat a garden for a full meal, however this one is not only tasty, but fills you up! Even Iris is a fan (and she typically claims to not like salads).

Speaking of Iris, after becoming a mom I became much more conscious about not only what we eat, but where our food comes from and how it’s made. Teaming up with +Non GE/+Non GMO Forester Farmer’s Market™, I recently was introduced to their chicken and their commitment to feed their chickens from 100% locally sourced and non genetically engineered/non genetically modified (+Non GE/+Non GMO) grains. The best part? It’s actually super affordable. Available in select Sam’s Clubs stores, you can use the “Where to Buy” link to find one near you.

I purchased the pack of +Non GE/+Non GMO Forester Farmer’s Market™ chicken breasts, which were sealed two to a pack (four packs in all, so eight pieces total!). This made for very easy storage for the chicken we didn’t use – and will end up saving us money overall.

It’s recipe time! This is for two large servings, but I shared some of mine with Iris.

Ingredients:
2 +Non GE/+Non GMO Forester Farmer’s Market™ Chicken Breasts
1 cup of balsamic vinaigrette dressing
10 oz of mixed greens
1 cucumber
1 cup cherry tomatoes
1 green apple
1/2 cup blue cheese crumbles
1 cup chopped walnuts
1/3 cup sugar

Directions:
– Preheat oven to 400°.
– Marinate the +Non GE/+Non GMO Forester Farmer’s Market™ chicken breasts in 3/4 cup of the balsamic vinaigrette salad dressing.
– While chicken is marinating, place walnuts in a single layer on a sheet pan. Roast approximately 10 minutes, or until browned (keep a close eye, because they can burn quickly!).
– Once the walnuts are roasted, heat 1/3 cup of sugar in saucepan over medium heat. Stir frequently until completely melted into a caramel color. Remove from heat to prevent the sugar from burning and immediately add the roasted walnuts. Stir quickly until fully coated. The sugar will harden fast, so once they are coated, spread them out as much as you can on the sheet pan to cool.
– Bake chicken for 30 minutes at 400°, or until cooked thoroughly and no longer pink.
– While chicken bakes, wash & prep your produce: slice cherry tomatoes in halves, medium dice green apple, half the cucumber long ways and thinly slice, then combine in a large bowl with the mixed greens.

Once the chicken is baked, slice into strips. Plate the salad, topping with the sliced chicken and candied walnuts (you will have to break these apart a bit). Sprinkle blue cheese and the remaining balsamic salad dressing and serve!