Good morning all! It’s Monday and I’m up and ready to get this day going! I’m on vacation from my primary job this week and I’ve made myself a to-do list a mile long. I am determined to get things done that I don’t normally have time for, if it kills me! But, most of that will start tomorrow. Today, I’m going to meet with J’s niece (a wedding planner) to go over wedding stuff. Squee!
And in preparation for an upcoming cruise and the wedding, of course, I’m trying to incorporate a few more entree salads into our meal rotation. Not that we don’t eat pretty healthy as it is, but I love salad and any excuse to have more of them I will use!
This really was a great salad, with it’s crispy bacon, blackberries, chicken and greens with creamy blue cheese chunks and, of course, the honey-balsamic vinaigrette. I’m a big fan of fruit in my salads, and blackberries just so happen to be my most favorite fruit so…yeah. Blackberries + balsamic = one happy girl.
- 4 pieces bacon, chopped
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- ⅓ c. olive oil
- ⅓ c. balsamic vinegar
- 2 Tbsp. honey
- ½ tsp. cinnamon
- ½ tsp. dried basil
- 4 c. mixed greens (I used a baby spinach, baby kale, and baby Swiss chard mix)
- ½ c. crumbled blue cheese
- ½ c. fresh blackberries
- Heat a skillet over medium heat. Add the bacon pieces and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned and slightly crisp. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate to drain the grease.
- While the bacon is cooking, trim the chicken breasts of any fat and cut into bite-sized pieces. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- When the bacon is removed from the pan, drain off most of the bacon grease – but not all of it! Increase the heat to medium-high and add the chicken pieces to the skillet. Cook for 3-4 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and no longer pink in the middle. Remove from heat.
- Meanwhile, make the dressing by placing the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, honey, cinnamon, and dried basil in a jar with as screw top and shake vigorously to combine all the ingredients well.
- Prepare your salads by dividing the mixed greens among your serving bowls, then top with chicken, bacon, blue cheese crumbles, and blackberries. Drizzle the dressing on top, and enjoy!!
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