Chicken Pear Salad

fitnfamished's Note:

Rumored to be the "best salad ever", this salad was a HUGE hit at a baby shower I attended. Fortunately the hostess shared the recipe with us! I have modified and simplified the recipe but the delicious flavors and textures remain. Dressing is so yummy too! Add as needed as recipe makes a lot!

• Total Time: 40 mins
• Prep Time: 20 mins
• Cook Time: 20 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 4

• 1 large head romaine lettuce
• 1 tart apple
• 2 ripe tart pears
• 4 ounces feta cheese
• 1/4 cup dried cranberries
• 1/2 cup walnuts
• 2 grilled chicken breasts
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons poppy seeds
• 3/4 cup raspberry vinegar
• 2 tablespoons prepared mustard
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 1/2 cups canola oil
• 1 small onion

Directions:

1. Tear or cut up lettuce. Cut apple and pears into bite size chunks. May use just apples or pears if desired. Add crumbled feta cheese and dried cranberries (or craisins). You can toast walnuts or use candied walnuts if you'd like. May substitute pecans or pinenuts. Shred chicken breasts and add to salad. Can also use rotisserie chicken or baked chicken.
2. For dressing combine sugar, poppy seeds, raspberry vinegar, mustard, salt, oil & onion in a food processor or blender. Refrigerate. May want to cut dressing ingredients in 1/2 as you will have a lot of dressing. Stays good in fridge for about 4 days.

Reviews

[Krista Roes]

Outstanding salad! I used a mix of lettace that I had in my fridge. Omitted the feta (someone I was feeding had a milk allergy) and cranberries (couldn't find them) and used fresh rotissery chicken I pulled from the bone myself :). The dressing is WONDERFUL! Even the kids ate it up.