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Blackberry, Bacon, and Blue Cheese Salad with Grilled Chicken

September 8, 2014 by Jaida Leave a Comment

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!

Blackberry, Bacon Blue Cheese Salad w Honey Balsamic Vinaigrette 2
I seem to find a lot of great looking salad recipes that don’t have a main protein in them. Yes, bacon is technically a protein, but bacon alone will not sustain my guy. He needs substantial protein in every meal to feed those big, manly muscles of his. So, when I find a salad that sounds delish but lacks protein, what do I do? Well, add chicken of course!
Blackberry, Bacon Blue Cheese Salad w Honey Balsamic Vinaigrette 3
J also loves blue cheese. I….do not. But because I love him, I make things I don’t like sometimes and leave that particular ingredient out of my portion (olives, for example…blech!). This salad, however, I went ahead and made as-is for myself. I mean, you can’t really put the blue cheese on top, take a pic, and then take it off. I tried. J loved the salad and at that blue cheese up. I added extra dressing because…well…balsamic-anything makes everything better.
Blackberry, Bacon, Blue Cheese Salad w Honey Balsamic Vinaigrette

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.

Blackberry, Bacon, and Blue Cheese Salad with Grilled Chicken
Adapted from Lemon Tree Dwelling
Ingredients
  • 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
Preparation
  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. 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!!

Filed Under: Chicken, Main Dish, Salad Tagged With: Bacon, Blackberries, Blue Cheese, Chicken

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Welcome!

As a busy wife and mom who also works a full time job, I try to have dinner done in 30 minutes or less so I can spend more of my evenings with my hubby and baby girl, so what you will find here are recipes that are mostly-healthy, quick and easy. Of course I have desserts, less healthy and more time-intensive meals as well (everything in moderation!), but all-in-all, you can count on weeknight friendly options, all made with love and dished up with a side of life, love, and family! Read More…

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