Marinated Chicken, Sundried Tomato & Spinach Salad
| | Marinated Chicken, Sundried Tomato & Spinach Salad |
Ingredients
For the Vinaigrette:
- 1/2cup sun-dried tomatoes, not oil-packed(approximately 2 ounces)
- 1/4cup extra virgin olive oil
- 3tablespoons orange juice
- 2tablespoons cider vinegar
- 2tablespoons chopped shallot
- 1/4teaspoon salt
- 1/4teaspoon ground pepper
For the Marinated Chicken:
- 2tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large Vidalia or sweet yellow onion, diced fine
- 2cloves garlic, minced
- 8 large boneless chicken thighs
- 2tablespoons butter
- 2teaspoons salt
- 2teaspoons pepper
- 2cups sundried tomatoes, chopped very fine
- 4cups spinach, roughly chopped
- 2cups Feta cheese
- 2cups mozzarella cheese
For the Salad:
- For the Salad:
- 2cups roughly chopped spinach
- 2cups mozzarella cheese
- 1cup dates or dried figschopped fine
- 1 large head romaine lettuce
Instructions
- Make the vinaigrette. In a mini-food processor, add the sun-dried tomatoes, oil, orange juice, vinegar, shallot, salt and pepper. Process until smooth. Marinate the chicken in the vinaigrette for 30 minutes. In a large skillet over medium heat, add oil and sauté the onion until soft and translucent, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and continue to sauté until onions are caramelized, about 5 more minutes. Spoon the mixture into a bowl and set aside. In the same skillet, add the butter and cook the chicken thighs, searing to a deep golden brown. Add the finely diced sundried tomatoes, 4 cups of chopped spinach, feta, mozzarella, sautéed onion and garlic. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and stir to combine. Lower the heat, cover and cook until the chicken reads 165 degrees on a meat thermometer. Remove the chicken to a cutting board. When cool enough to handle, dice or rough chop the thighs. In a large bowl, add 2 cups of spinach, the chopped romaine, dates or figs, and the cooled chicken. Scrape and spoon out the drippings from the skillet and toss into the salad. Add more salt, pepper and olive oil as needed. Serves 6-8.