Description

My favorite classic combination made into a summery dinner salad!

Ingredients

Scale

Chicken:

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, about 2

1/2 Teaspoon each sea salt and black pepper

1 Tablespoon olive oil

Salad:

2 heads romaine lettuce, chopped and washed, 12-14 cups

3 cups halved or quartered cherry tomatoes, 1 pound

2 cups chopped fresh mozzarella, or mozzarella pearls, 10 ounces, omit for dairy free

1 large ripe avocado, thinly sliced, or cubed

Pesto Dressing:

3 Tablespoons toasted pine nuts

1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese, or 2 Tablespoons nutritional yeast for dairy free

1 clove garlic, minced

1/2 Teaspoon each sea salt and black pepper

1 Teaspoon Dijon mustard

2 Tablespoons white wine vinegar or lemon juice

1 cup baby spinach, 1 ounce

2 cups lightly packed basil leaves, 1.5 ounces

1/2 cup olive oil

Topping:

Aged balsamic or reduced balsamic vinegar for drizzling on top

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Instructions

Place the chicken in a glass bowl and mix together with the sea salt, pepper, and olive oil. Put the chicken in the fridge to marinate while you prepare the salad ingredients.

Prep the romaine, cherry tomatoes, and mozzarella and place them in a large serving bowl or deep dish platter.

Preheat the grill over medium high heat until you reach a temperature of 400ºF. Place the chicken on the grill, and grill for 10-12 minutes, or until the chicken is loose enough to turn over. Once you turn the chicken over, cook for an additional 8-10 minutes, or until the chicken is no longer pink in the center.

Remove the chicken from the grill, and let it cool while you prepare the pesto dressing.

Place the pine nuts, parmesan cheese, garlic, sea salt, pepper, Dijon, white wine vinegar, baby spinach, basil, and olive oil into a blender. Blend on low speeds until a slightly chunky dressing forms.

When the chicken is cool enough to handle, thinly slice or cube it up and add it to the salad bowl. Serve the salad with the pesto dressing and aged balsamic for drizzling. Or you can toss the salad with the pesto dressing and serve with the aged balsamic.

Prep Time: 20
Cook Time: 20
Category: Dinner
Method: Grilling
Cuisine: Italian