***dressing***
6 tablespoon walnut oil or
extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup freshly squeezed
orange juice
2 tablespoon honey
1/2 teaspoon Asian or
Caribbean chile sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 clove finely minced garlic
1/4 cup chopped cilantro sprigs
***chicken salad***
1 cup pecan halves
4 chicken breast halves
boned with skin on and
rinsed
2 Anjou pears -- each cored
and cut into 8 wedges
8 cups baby greens or torn
mixed lettuces -- washed
Instructions:
To make the dressing: In a non-reactive container combine dressing
ingredients. To make the salad: Preheat the oven to 325F and place
pecans on a baking sheet. Bake 15 minutes, stirring midway through
toasting; remove from oven and set aside. Place the chicken in a single
layer in a non-reactive dish or pan. Cover with 1/4 cup dressing.
Cover and refrigerate chicken. (Chicken and dressing also can be placed
in a zip-seal bag; seal, toss and refrigerate.) Do the same thing
with the pears using another 1/4 cup dressing. Refrigerate chicken
and pears for at least 10 minutes but no longer than 8 hours. Preheat
a gas or charcoal grill. Remove chicken from marinade; reserve this
chicken marinade. Place chicken in the center or hottest part of grill.
Grill chicken in covered grill about 15 minutes on each side or until
cooked through (juices run clear when chicken is pierced with a fork
or when an instant-read thermometer registers 150F); be sure to avoid
flare ups or the marinade will burn. As the chicken cooks, brush it
with the reserved chicken marinade. Remove pears from their marinade
and place around the edges of the chicken; reserve their marinade
separately. Grill the pears about 2 minutes per side or until they
are heated through and softened slightly. As the pears cook, use a
clean brush to baste them with the reserved pear marinade. Transfer
the chicken and pears to a cutting board. Place the greens in a large
non-reactive bowl. Shake the remaining salad dressing (discard dressing
used as pear and chicken marinade) and toss with greens; divide among
four plates. Cut the chicken in thin slices crosswise. Arrange chicken
slices, pears and pecans atop greens. Serve at once. Salad dressing:
Combine all the dressing ingredients and mix well.
