Grilled Chicken Salad With Sugar-Glazed Almonds

A refreshing salad boasting grilled chicken, greens, tomatoes, avocados and pear. It includes homemade dressing and sweetened with sugar-glazed almonds. Adapted from Jan Roberts-Dominguez.

• Ready In: 25 mins
• Serves: 4

Ingredients

• Dressing

• 1⁄4 cup red wine vinegar or 1⁄4 cup white wine vinegar
• 1  tablespoon sugar
• 2  tablespoons  lightly toasted sesame seeds
• 1  tablespoon poppy seed
• 1  tablespoon  coarsely chopped onion
• 1⁄2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1⁄4 teaspoon paprika
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄3 cup  vegetable oil

• The Rest

• 4  boneless skinless chicken breast halves, grilled and cooled
• 6  cups  salad greens
• 2  roma tomatoes, diced
• 2  Hass avocadoes, peeled, seeded and diced
• 1⁄2 cup  sugar-glazed  almonds (recipe follows)
• 1⁄4 cup  minced sweet onion
• 3  leaves romaine lettuce
• 2  ripe pears, cored and sliced

• SUGAR-GLAZED ALMONDS

• 1⁄2 cup  sliced almonds
• 2  tablespoons sugar

Directions

1. To Make The Salad Dressing: In a blender or food processor, combine the vinegar, sugar, sesame seeds, poppy seeds, onion, Worcestershire sauce, paprika and salt. Blend until most of sesame seeds are ground. Scrape contents into a small bowl, then whisk in the oil in a slow, steady stream. Makes 3/4 cup.
2. To Assemble: Cut the chicken into 1/4-inch pieces and combine with 1/2 cup vinaigrette, the salad greens, diced tomatoes, avocado, almonds and onion. Arrange the romaine lettuce leaves on salad plates, then divide salad mixture between them. Garnish with the pear slices.
3. To Make Sugar-Glazed Almonds: In a nonstick skillet, roast sliced almonds over medium-high heat until golden, shaking pan to prevent scorching. Sprinkle on about 2 tablespoons sugar, stirring constantly and cook until sugar melts around almonds. Remove from heat and quickly scrape almonds onto a sheet of waxed paper to cool. Makes 1/2 cup.