This is one of our all-time favorite salads.
I usually serve it as the main course and we find it to be quite filling, but I often like to pick up a loaf of really great french or sourdough bread to serve along side with some olive oil.
This salad has an amazing combination of sweet, savory and tartness that I LOOOoooovve. I can’t stop eating it once I start and usually end up having 2-3 servings, which likely turns it into a not so healthy meal.
Oh well, it’s totally worth the extra calories.
Completely.
When I have been unable to get the exact berries called for (like blackberries) I have used blueberries in place of them and switched things around and it still works very well.
Berry and Chicken Salad with Candied Pecans
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
Recipe By: Megan
Recipe type: Salad
Serves: 4-6
Ingredients
For the Candied Pecans- 1 egg white
- ¾ cup brown sugar OR honey
- 10 oz whole pecans
For the Blueberry Vinaigrette - 1 shallot
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons sugar OR honey
- dash of freshly ground white pepper
- ½ white wine vinegar
- ½ cup blueberries
- ½ cup candied pecans
- 1½ cups olive oil
For the Salad - 1 pound mixed baby greens OR spinach
- 1¼ pound grilled chicken, chopped OR a rotisserie chicken meat removed from the carcass
- 1½ cups crumbled feta
- 2 cups candied pecans
- kosher salt
- freshly ground pepper
- ½ pint blackberries
- ½ pint blueberries
- 1 pint strawberries, hulled and sliced
Preparation Instructions
- First make the candied pecans. Preheat the oven to 325º.
- In a small bowl, beat the egg white with a wire whisk until foamy and no liquid remains.
- Fold in the sugar or honey and the pecans. On a rimmed baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray or lined with a baking mat, spread the pecans in an even layer.
- Bake until egg mixture is baked through and the pecans are golden brown. About 12 -14 minutes
- NOTE: If you are using honey and not the sugar, you will want to toss with a spatula about halfway through the baking and you will need to bake longer. About 20 minutes.
- Once cooked, remove from oven and allow to cool.
- Once the nuts are cool you can make the dressing. Combine all the ingredients except the oil in a blender.
- Turn on low until everything is pureed. Then with the blender still on low, remove the center piece from the lid and slowly drizzle the olive oil in to form an emulsion. You may not need the full 1½ cups, keep an eye on the thickness and once it gets to desired consistency you can stop adding.
- Finally, assemble the salad. Place the greens in a large salad bowl and top with the chicken, cheese, pecans and berries and season with salt and pepper. I like to leave the dressing on the side in case there is salad leftover, but you can certainly go ahead and add the dressing and toss to coat.
Adapted from Nordstrom Entertaining at Home Cookbook
is a self taught home cook who enjoys cooking healthy and simple foods and delectable desserts for her husband and kids and the frequent last-minute dinner guests her husband shows up with.
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