Green Salad with Creamy Shallot Salad Dressing and Pan Seared Chicken

I’m sorry guys, I’ve been staring at a blank screen for half an hour now. Everything I start to write is a complaint about the weather, the fact that it’s January or lamenting about trying to eat better. And the reality is no one wants to hear it, especially me, who’s already been stewing over all…the…things.

Forgive the lack of introduction to this recipe, and bear with me to the end. This salad is as delicious as it is pretty and really easy to make.

I’m working with my gym (Iron and Mortar if you’re local) to provide recipes for members. I love owners Ashley and Brenden’s vision which is focused on realistic, nutritious food. They get that most of us want to be healthy but we also want our food to taste good. And that’s where I come in.

I’ve spent a fair amount of time the last few months thinking about this space as we’ve worked to create the new look and feel for the site. It’s forced me to really think about what I’m trying to accomplish and here’s what I’ve got: I want you to feel encouraged and empowered to make food for the people you love. That's it. My hope is that what you find here is real and nutritious food that tastes good and feels accessible no matter what kind of cook you consider yourself to be.

Ok, anyway, let’s talk about this salad. I built a salad with a mixture of mixed greens and spinach but you can use whatever you like most. I topped the greens with chopped green onion, avocado and herbed goat cheese. I kept it really simple because that’s what I had on hand but you could load yours with whatever veggies you have in your refrigerator. I pan-seared the chicken and then finished cooking it in the oven and this technique is so simple but the result is tender, flavorful meat. A definite must-try.

Green Salad with Creamy Shallot Salad Dressing and Pan Seared Chicken

Pan Seared Chicken

• 3 Chicken breasts

• 1-2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

• 1 1/2 teaspoons Lawry’s or Johnny’s seasoning (any brand of all-seasoning works fine)

• Juice of a lemon

• Kosher salt and black pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Sprinkle both sides of chicken with seasoning and salt and pepper. In a large oven-safe sauté pan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Place the chicken in the pan and allow to cook for 4-5 minutes. When the chicken has a golden brown color, flip and allow to cook for another 3 minutes, until both sides of the chicken are browned and crispy. Squeeze the lemon over the chicken and put the pan into the oven. Bake the chicken for an additional 8-12 minutes (depending on the size and thickness of the meat) until a meat thermometer registers an internal temperature of 150 degrees.

Remove the chicken from the oven and allow to rest at least five minutes before slicing it.

Creamy Shallot Dressing

• 1/2 shallot, minced

• 2 tsp Dijon mustard

• 2 tsp honey

• 2 tablespoons low-fat sour cream or Greek yogurt

• 1/4-1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

• Juice of a lemon

• Pinch of kosher salt and black pepper

In a small jar with lid, combine all ingredients and shake until well-combined. Taste and add additional salt if needed. Store extras in the refrigerator for an additional day or two.

For the Salad

• 5 ounces mixed greens or spinach

• 2 tablespoons chopped green onions

• 1/2 large avocado, diced

• 2-3 tablespoons crumbled herbed goat cheese (plain works great too)

To make the salad; layer the greens, veggies and goat cheese in a large bowl. Slice the pan-seared chicken and top the salad with it. Drizzle the dressing over the salad and serve immediately.