Grilled Chicken and Strawberry Salad

A light and bright early summer meal featuring some of the best the farmers market has to offer.

Strawberries and that sweet song of summer! When you start seeing Strawberries in the market stalls at the farmers market you can rest assured that summer is just around the bend. These early season strawberries are my favorite, the tiny super red and sweet ones always come on first. I love them so much that I will buy a few flats and eat as many as possible then hull and freeze the rest for dressings and smoothies. Freezing strawberries is super easy and allows you to enjoy a mid winter pick me up, just rinse well and dry on a lint free towel, remove the hulls (I love my vintage grapefruit spoon for the tiny ones), place them in a single layer on a silpat or parchment lined baking sheet and freeze until solid. Transfer to zip top or vacuum sealer bag and keep in the freezer until you’re ready to use them. Freezing strawberries will change the texture, they do get much softer, so if you’re just going to be eating them, do so while still partially frozen, otherwise they will be soft and lose a lot of water. Using them in dressings or smoothies can be done without defrosting however.

Ingredients

For the Dressing

1/4 cup Champagne, White Balsamic or other wine vinegar (I used Mama Celia’s Lambrusco Vinegar…yummmmm) If you're using a less sweet vinegar like red or white wine vinegar add 1-2 tbsp honey to taste.

1/4 cup strawberries Cinnabar Produce by Hipwell Ranch

1 cup neutral oil or olive oil

1 tsp grainy mustard Wagners Idaho Foods

1 tsp poppy seeds *if you fancy

For the Chicken

4 boneless skinless chicken thighs from Idaho Pioneer Farms

2 tsp Greek Seasoning from A Pinch of Idaho

1/4 cup white balsamic or other sweet vinegar

1/4 cup olive oil

For the Salad

1/2 cup vanilla toffee almonds (Grandma Vietti’s Kitchen)

1/2 brick Yaya’s Halloumi Grilling Cheese, shredded or see below for halloumi croutons

1 cup cubed stale Rye bread from Elhembie Gardens, tossed with a little oil and Greek Seasoning from A Pinch of Idaho

1 cup fresh strawberries, hulled and quartered Cinnabar Produce by Hipwell Ranch

1 lb Salad Greens J. Dozier Farms

AIP Reintro Options

• Substitute anchovy paste for the mustard in the dressing, season with lemon zest and salt with thyme and rosemary

• Omit Nuts, Rye croutons and Halloumi

To make halloumi croutons, toss cubed halloumi in arrowroot powder or cornstarch, then pan fry in a small amount of fat until both sides are crispy. Try not to eat them all before your salad is plated.

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Method

For the Vinaigrette

1. Combine all of the vinaigrette ingredients in the blender, or jar of Immersion blender. Blend until smooth and homogenized.

For the Chicken- Marinade for at least 4-6 hours prior to grilling

1. Place the chicken thighs smooth side down on a plate or sheet pan. Sprinkle heavily with Greek Seasoning or Salt and herbs. Get it into all the nooks and crannies. Transfer to a zip top bag or mixing bowl. Add vinegar and oil. Combine well and let sit under refrigeration 4-6 hours, but not more than 8-10.

2. Preheat grill and clean grates well. Place chicken on the top rack of hot grill over low heat, cook for approximately 8-10 minutes, until the meat has firmed up and releases from the grill grates. Flip then cook another 4-6 minutes.

3. Remove from the grill and let it rest while you prepare the greens and garnish.

For the Salad

1. In a large bowl, toss the salad greens with a few tablespoons of the dressing, add in cheese and strawberries, toss gently.

2. Divide into 4 plates and top with sliced grilled chicken, toffee nuts, croutons.

3. Enjoy!

Halloumi Croutons

To make halloumi croutons, cut halloumi into 1/4-1/2 “ cubes, toss with a small amount of arrowroot, tapioca flour or cornstarch. Fry in a small amount of oil until golden on all sides, then try not to eat them all before your salad is ready!

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