MENU DESCRIPTION:“Pecan-crusted chicken, served sliced and chilled on salad greens tossed with Balsamic Vinaigrette dressing,topped with mandarin oranges, sweet-glazed pecans, celery, dried cranberries and Bleu cheese.”
With dried cranberries, mandarin orange wedges, bleu cheese, pecan-crusted chicken breast, and a delicious sweet and sour balsamic vinaigrette, it’s no wonder this salad is the top pick at one of America’s first casual dining chains. And don’t be intimidated by all the ingredients here. The dressing is a cakewalk since you just pour everything (except the garlic) into a blender. The pecan-crusted chicken is a simple breading procedure, and the chicken cooks up in a snap. You’ll be spending most of your time at the chopping block as you hack pecans into little pieces and get the lettuce, garlic and celery ready. I’ve made this recipe to serve four, but if there are only two of you, you can easily cut it in half.
MAKES: 4 SERVINGS
INGREDIENTS:
PECAN-CRUSTED CHICKEN:
- 4 skinless chicken breast fillets
- ½ cup finely chopped pecans
- ½ cup corn flake crumbs
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup milk
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup canola oil
BALSAMIC VINAIGRETTE:
- 1 cup canola oil
- 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
- 4 teaspoons Grey Poupon Dijon mustard
- 4 teaspoons granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic (2 cloves)
SALAD:
- 1 cup dried cranberries
- 3 tablespoons dark brown sugar
- ½ cup finely chopped pecans
- 12 cups chopped romaine lettuce (2 heads)
- 1 cup sliced celery (2 stalks)
- 2 11-ounce cans mandarin orange segments, drained
- ½ cup crumbled bleu cheese
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Pecan-Crusted Chicken:
- Pound each chicken fillet to about ½-inch thick.
- Combine finely chopped pecans, corn flake crumbs, and salt in a shallow bowl.
- Combine milk with beaten eggs in another shallow bowl.
- Dip each chicken breast in flour, then egg mixture, and coat with pecans and corn flake crumbs.
- Preheat canola oil in a large skillet and sauté chicken fillets until golden brown.
- Cool chicken on a rack or paper towels, then refrigerate for at least two hours.
- Balsamic Vinaigrette:
- In a blender, combine canola oil, balsamic vinegar, mustard, granulated sugar, and salt.
- Blend on low speed until the dressing begins to thicken.
- Pour vinaigrette into a small bowl, mix in minced garlic, and chill until ready to use.
- Salad Assembly:
- Toss lettuce and celery with about ¾ cup of the balsamic vinaigrette.
- Arrange the lettuce on four plates.
- Sprinkle cranberries over the lettuce (about ¼ cup per serving).
- Combine brown sugar with finely chopped pecans and sprinkle 2 tablespoons of the mixture on each salad.
- Sprinkle mandarin orange segments over each salad, followed by crumbled bleu cheese.
- Chicken Fillet:
- Slice each chicken fillet into thin strips.
- Arrange one sliced chicken fillet on top of each salad.
- Serve and enjoy
