Cornerstone Salad Recipe
Grilled chicken, pine nuts, dried cranberries, feta & asiago cheese atop mixed greens. Served with sweet & tart dressing.
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Ingredients
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Salad
Sweet & Tart Dressing
Method
Salad
Toast pine nuts
Place a small dry skillet over medium heat. Add pine nuts and toast, stirring frequently, until golden and aromatic, 3–4 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl to stop cooking and set aside.
Prepare chicken
Pat chicken breasts dry with paper towels. Lightly flatten to even thickness (about 1/2 inch) with a meat mallet or rolling pin if needed. Brush both sides with 1 tablespoon olive oil and season evenly with 1 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper.
Grill chicken
Preheat grill or grill pan to medium-high (about 400°F / 200°C). Grill chicken 4–6 minutes per side, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part reads 165°F (74°C). Transfer to a cutting board and let rest 5 minutes, then slice thinly against the grain.
Assemble salad
In a large bowl, combine 6 cups mixed salad greens and 1 cup dried cranberries. Add the sliced grilled chicken, toasted pine nuts, 1/2 cup crumbled feta, and 1/4 cup grated asiago. Toss gently to combine after dressing is added.
Sweet & Tart Dressing
Make dressing: In a small bowl or jar, combine 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, 2 tablespoons honey, 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, and 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard. Whisk or shake vigorously until emulsified. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper; taste and adjust honey or vinegar to reach desired sweet-tart balance.
Dress and serve: Right before serving, drizzle about 3–4 tablespoons dressing over the assembled salad (reserve extra dressing for guests or left-overs). Toss gently to coat all ingredients evenly. Divide among 4 plates or serve family-style. Garnish with additional grated asiago or a few extra cranberries if desired.