This has been the state of my kitchen since late January. A sad, lonely, desolate space. My poor stove, my reliever of stress, maker of memories sitting in the cold garage. But today, the best day EVER, life returned to some semblance of normal. Dun duh da dun....
A stove finally. We still are not done but we are one step closer and I can cook again. No sir-ree, I did not even take the time to remove the plastic from the microwave before I began cooking.
And what was our first dinner with the stove where it belongs? Salad. Yummy strawberry chicken salad with balsamic vinaigrette.
Strawberries are in season here in North Carolina and honest-to-goodness they reached out and grabbed my arm in the grocery store. When you have something as delicious and perfect as in season, local produce the best way to treat it is simply. So here goes...
Strawberry Chicken Salad
For chicken preparation:
2 tsp of olive oil (not extra virgin, we want a little higher smoke point)
1 lbs skinless boneless chicken breast
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
Salad Ingredients:
6 cups of leafy greens (I used a Kale/Chou Frise mix. It stands up to the warm chicken and doesn't
wilt like other mixes.)
5 strawberries (I know, I skimped but I needed some for dessert and only picked up 1 pint.)
Balsamic Vinaigrette:
1 part Balsamic vinegar
3 parts extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup of white wine
And a little bit of magic but I will get to that later
The Chicken-
1. Preheat your skillet on med-high heat with 2 tsp of olive oil. If you do not have olive oil that is not extra virgin, it is perfectly okay to use vegetable oil or *coconut oil. We want something with a higher smoke point. Let your skillet get hot. I am going to recommend not using a non-stick pan. We want the fond (the beautiful brown bits) at the bottom of the pan for the magic later.
2. Take your chicken and pat it dry. If wet chicken is put into the pan, it will steam and not give us the browning we want. Brown = flavor. Once dry, season with 1 tsp of salt and a 1/2 tsp of pepper. I mix them in a small bowl so that I do not have to worry about contamination. The general seasoning rule I find that works is 1 tsp of salt and 1/2 tsp of pepper per pound of chicken. You may adjust accordingly to your taste.
3. Once the skillet is hot, the chicken goes in. You can tell that your skillet is where you want it when your oil begins to thin and cover the bottom of your pan. Put in your chicken and do not "mess" with it. (That means leave it alone.) Once your chicken goes in and your hear the sound of the sizzle, adjust your heat to medium. We want the chicken and the fond to brown and not burn. Depending on the size, it may take the chicken breast 8-11 minutes per side to cook.
After 4 minutes you should be able to flip your chicken with out it sticking to the pan. You want chicken that is cooked to 165 degrees. If you are using a thermometer, you want to take it out of the skillet at 155 degrees. Once you take it out of the skillet, you are going to let it rest and the chicken will continue to cook to the appropriate temperature. Do not skip the resting stage! You want the juices to redistribute so they stay in your chicken and not on your cutting board.
4. Once your chicken is out of the skillet, take the 1/4 cup of wine (or chicken broth if you prefer to not use wine) and deglaze your skillet. Remove from the heat and hold on to the yummy goodness in the bottom of your pan. You can poor it into a bowl but there really is no need to dirty up another dish.
The Salad-
1. While the chicken is cooking, wash your strawberries and lay on a hand towel or paper towel to dry.
2. Prep your greens. I buy pre-washed greens and chop them into bite-sized pieces.
3. Slice your strawberries into quarters.
The Balsamic Vinaigrette-
I use 1 part balsamic to 3 parts olive oil.
My ratio for this size salad was 1 ounce Balsamic to 3 ounces olive oil. I put it in a pint size Mason and shake until mixed once I am ready to dress my greens. But there is one more step to this dressing for this salad. The wine in the pan with the yummy skillet goodness? That goes in as well. It adds a richness and depth of flavor that is amazing!
Now it is time to put everything together.
Pour the dressing over the greens, reserving some to pour over the chicken. This is your call. I prefer lightly dressed greens with a little more dressing on my chicken.
Using your hand or tongs, mix until the greens are coated. Arrange greens on your plate. Slice the now rested chicken and put on top of your greens and place your strawberries around the chicken. Pour dressing over top of your chicken.
And enjoy! I think my husband sure did!
