Sautéed radicchio, fennel and carrots are topped with chicken, walnuts and Gorgonzola in this warm and hearty main-dish salad. Serve with crusty whole-grain baguette.
Ingredients
8 ounces boneless, skinless chicken breast, trimmed of fat
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 pear, sliced
1 small shallot, minced
3 tablespoons sherry vinegar
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 small head radicchio, thinly sliced
1 small fennel bulb, cored and thinly sliced
1 large carrot, cut into matchsticks
1 tablespoon chopped walnuts, toasted
1/8 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, or to taste
6 large butter lettuce leaves
1/4 cup crumbled Gorgonzola, or goat cheese
Preparation
1. Poach chicken (see Tip). Use 2 forks to shred into bite-size pieces.
2. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add pears and cook, stirring occasionally, until they start to brown, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl.
3. Whisk shallot, vinegar and mustard in a small bowl; add to the pan and cook, stirring constantly, for 30 seconds. Add the cooked chicken, radicchio, fennel, carrot and walnuts. Cook, stirring occasionally, until just wilted, about 3 minutes. Return the pears to the pan. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Divide lettuce leaves between 2 plates. Top with the warm chicken salad and sprinkle with cheese.
Tips & Notes
To toast chopped walnuts, cook in a small dry skillet over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until fragrant and lightly browned, 2 to 4 minutes.
To poach chicken, place boneless, skinless chicken breasts in a medium skillet or saucepan and add lightly salted water to cover; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer gently until chicken is cooked through and no longer pink in the middle, 10 to 12 minutes.
Nutrition
Per serving: 395 calories; 17 g fat (5 g sat, 7 g mono); 75 mg cholesterol; 32 g carbohydrates; 31 g protein; 8 g fiber; 548 mg sodium; 1058 mg potassium.
Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin A (140% daily value), Vitamin C (40% dv), Potassium (30% dv), Calcium (20% dv), Folate (19% dv).
1 1/2 Carbohydrate Serving
Exchanges: 1/2 starch, 1 fruit, 1 vegetable, 3 lean meat, 2 fat
