YIELDS:
2 servings
PREP TIME:
0 hours 10 mins
COOK TIME:
0 hours 18 mins
TOTAL TIME:
0 hours 28 mins
ingredients
1/4 Cup pistachios
2 Tbsp. Pumpkin seeds
2 Tbsp. Slivered almonds
3 Tbsp. maple syrup
1/4 Tsp. cayenne pepper
½ Tsp. Flakey sea salt (Maldon is my favorite)
2 Chicken breasts, thinly cut
1 Tbsp. Wild Mushroom and Sage Olive Oil
3 Cups Leafy lettuce, chopped
1 Cup Baby spinach leaves
1 Tbsp. Fresh sage, finely chopped
1/2 Cup White button mushrooms, sliced
1 Cup Red seedless grapes, cut in half
1 Honey Crisp apple, thinly sliced
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
Red Apple Balsamic Vinaigrette
1/3 Cup Extra virgin olive oil
¼ Cup Red Apple Balsamic Vinegar
1 Tbsp. Fresh thyme leaves
2 Tsps. Fresh sage leaves, finely chopped
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Preheat the oven to 350° F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2.To make the vinaigrette, ombine all ingredients in a jar with a lid and shake. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
3. In a small bowl, mix the pistachios, almonds, pumpkin seeds, maple syrup and cayenne. Pour the nut mixture onto the prepared baking sheet in a single layer. Transfer to the oven and bake for 10 – 12 minutes or until the nuts are lightly toasted and fragrant. Stir half way through the bake. Watch closely to make sure they don’t burn. Sprinkle the toasted nuts with flaky salt. Put to the side to cool. When cooled, scrape up the nuts and break into little clumps; your nut croutons.
4. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Heat a grill pan on the stove and brush with a tablespoon of Wild Mushroom and Sage Olive oil. Once hot, cook the chicken on both sides (about 3 minutes per side) until cooked through. Remove to a cutting board and let rest for five minutes. Slice into thick slices.
5. In a large salad bowl, combine the lettuce, spinach, chopped sage and and button mushrooms. Add the feta and grapes and toss. Dress with half of the Red Apple Balsamic Viniagrette and toss again. Sprinkle with kosher salt and pepper. Toss again. Taste, taste, taste. Adjust seasoning if necessary. NOTE: you will have extra dressing. Add more if needed and/or serve on the side. This will keep in the fridge for up to a week.
6. Top the salad with the sliced chicken, and the sliced apple. Sprinkle the “nut croutons” on top. Serve and enjoy.
NOTES: This is one tasty salad and it gets its flavors from fresh, fall ingredients. Those flavors are emphasized with the use of specialty flavored olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Check them out on my PANTRY page in my shop.
I think the flavors of mushroom, sage and apple are a delicious combination and work so well for Thanksgiving. Whether as an appetizer (See my Herbed Goat Cheese, Mushroom and Apple Brushetta) or as a dressing for the turkey (Turkey Sausage, Apple and Sage Dressing) these flavors work!
The surprise ingredient in this salad are those delicious nut clusters. Feel free to use any nut combination you like… I used what I had on hand. They are just so much better than croutons when it comes to crunch! I like to make the salad right before serving so everything is fresh and crisp. If you do make ahead of time, I’d just cut the apples right before serving to keep them from browning.
If you are looking for an entree that uses this flavor combo, I do have a Roasted Chicken Thighs with Sage, Mushrooms, Baby Potatoes and Apples recipe that is so easy to make but just screams Autumn. No matter which recipe you try, you are going to get some rave reviews. Enjoy.
