Chicken, Apple & Goat Cheese Salad

 This Chicken, Apple & Goat Cheese is full of candied nuts, apples, goat cheese & chicken and tossed in a light champagne vinaigrette. It’s seriously killer!

It’s Jodi from 5 Boys Baker and I have an amazing Chicken Apple & Goat Cheese Salad recipe to share with you today!

For months my friend has been telling me about a salad recipe that she needed to send me. I knew it would be good, because she is the friend who gave me the recipe for this killer Coconut Bundt Cake. She finally remembered to send it to me and it is currently one of my most favorite salads ever!

She emailed me the recipe about three weeks ago and I have made this salad no less than 10 times. True story. Because the nut recipe for this salad makes a lot, I just keep them stored in an air tight container and will plate up a single salad for myself for lunch or dinner.

It’s been my go-to lunch for the past three weeks now. I can’t get enough it and every time I take the last bite, I want to to cry that it’s gone. 

There is something about the combination of the goat cheese, spiced candied almonds, apples and the dressing that is magical. 

The dressing is amazing, I could drink it! Now to be honest, goat cheese hasn’t always been at the top of my favorites list. I really could take it or leave it, but this salad has completely converted me and I am a goat cheese lover, at least in this salad anyway. 🙂 

The great thing about this is that you can serve it as a side dish without the chicken, or make it with the chicken and it can be your meal. I’ve done it both ways and it’s equally delicious. I hope you love this as much as we do!

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Chicken Apple Goat Cheese Salad

Course Salads

Servings 2

Author Holly

Ingredients

• Spiced candied almonds:
• 1 egg white
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• 1/2 pound slivered or sliced almonds
• 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
• Salad:
• 2 chicken breasts seasoned, grilled and cut into chunks
• 8 to 10 cups mixed greens (or any lettuce you prefer)
• 1 sliced Granny Smith apple
• 1 cup spiced candied almonds
• 6 ounces goat cheese
• 1/4 red onion sliced into thin half rings
• Girard's Light Champagne Vinaigrette about 1/3 cup

Instructions

• Nuts:
• Heat the oven to 300 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, whisk the egg white until frothy, then whisk in the brown sugar until combined. Add the almonds and stir until they are evenly coated.
• Spread the almonds into a single, evenly spaced layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Cook until the almonds are golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes.
• While the almonds are toasting, in a small bowl combine the sugar, cinnamon and cayenne pepper, set aside.
• When the almonds are done, immediately sprinkle cinnamon sugar mixture over the nuts, using a spatula to toss the hot almonds until evenly coated. Set the almonds aside to cool completely before using. (*This makes a generous 2 cups spiced candied almonds, more than is needed for the remainder of the recipe; the almonds will keep, sealed in an airtight container, at room temperature for up to 2 weeks. You can also store them in the freezer and they will keep for quite awhile.)
• Salad:
• In a large bowl add the mixed greens, apple slices, one-half of the spiced candied almonds, one-half of the goat cheese (added in small dollops), the red onion, and chicken. Drizzle desired amount of dressing over salad and gently toss together, sprinkle with remaining candied almonds and goat cheese. Serve immediately.

Notes

You can certainly make your own champagne vinaigrette if you have a recipe you love, or use another brand if there is one you like or can't find the Girard's brand where you live. Trader Joe’s sales a Champagne Vinaigrette that I just bought, but haven’t tasted it yet.

This salad is easily adaptable, if you want more apples, add more; if you’re not a fan of onions, leave them off; if you more nuts, add a few more.

This salad can be eaten as a main course with the chicken added or you can serve it as a side dish without the chicken. If I’m adding chicken, I like to season a couple small chicken breasts with salt and pepper and then grill them. You can cook the chicken breasts anyway you’d like.

The nuts are super easy to make, don’t let having to make the candied nuts deter you away from making this recipe.

Recipe by: 5 Boys Baker.com