Grilled Chicken Salad with Pomegranate Vinaigrette
Apricots, apples and pomegranates combine to bring together the tastes of Autumn in this ultra-simple yet elegant salad. Another great "MPM Dinner or Lunch in a Flash” for busy mid-week schedules or prepare in larger quantities for a pretty company dish.
Servings: 4
Ingredients
Salad
- About 8 cups salad greens
- 1 large Granny Smith apple cored and sliced
- 1 large red apple cored and sliced
- Seeds from 1 pomegranate arils
- 1/4 cup toasted pistachios or nuts of your choice
- 1/2 cup dried apricots unsweetened, sulfite-free preferred
- 1 pound grilled chicken breast tenders or fillets
Pomegranate Vinaigrette
- 1/3 cup 100% pomegranate juice such as the POM brand
- Juice of 1/2 lime
- 2 tablespoons brown rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar
- 2 teaspoons honey optional
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme optional
- 1/3 cup almond oil or extra-virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Salad: arrange all salad ingredients on a platter.
- Pomegranate Vinaigrette: In a small bowl, whisk together all ingredients except oil. Slowly add oil, whisking constantly until well combined. Cover and refrigerate until serving time. Dressing may be made up to 3 days ahead. Whisk again before serving. Yield: about 3/4 cup.
- Before serving, either drizzle vinaigrette over salad or serve on the side.
Notes
Make Ahead and Storage Tips: chicken may be grilled up to 2 days ahead. Vinaigrette may be made up to 3 days ahead. Salad may be assembled up to 4 hours ahead. Cover and refrigerate.
This light and fruity vinaigrette has just the right flavor balance of sweet vs. tart. Delicious over a simple salad of mixed greens or paired with a main course salad topped with grilled chicken or salmon.
For variety, experiment with various fruits (dried figs would be quite nice!) and toasted nuts such as pecans, walnuts and almonds.
To remove seeds from a pomegranate: cut in quarters and carefully scoop out seeds with either a spoon or the tip of a paring knife.
Another main course salad you may enjoy is Mediterranean Shrimp ‘n Couscous Salad.
