Apple season tends to overshadow everything else this time of year, but fall is also the time when many species of pears start to ripen.
![Pear Bacon and Chicken Salad](https://paleoleap.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/pear-bacon-chicken-salad-main.jpg)
Get one that’s fresh and in season, and slice it up over a big pile of fresh greens with a handful of pine nuts for an extra crunch and a simple Dijon vinaigrette.
If all the squash and root vegetables are making you a little hungry for something fresh and green, this is an easy way to keep the seasonal produce in a slightly lighter form.
While you’re making the chicken breasts for this, you could also throw a couple of extras in the oven to make other salads later in the week.
They often come in packs of 2 or 4 anyway, and it doesn’t really take any more effort to cook a little more chicken once the oven is already on.
The chicken on top of the salad gives you enough protein to eat as a meal, not just a side, and the bacon adds just a touch of smoky flavor to contrast with the sweet fruit. You could eat it with something starchy on the side to make it more substantial or keep it as-is for a light lunch.
Pear, Bacon, and Chicken Salad Recipe
SERVES: 2 PREP: 20 min COOK: 18 min
Ingredients
- 1 chicken breast;
- 5 cups mixed greens;
- 4 bacon slices, cooked and crumbled;
- 1 pear, sliced;
- 4 tbsp. pine nuts, toasted;
- ½ tsp. garlic powder;
- ½ tsp. paprika;
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper;
Balsamic Vinaigrette Ingredients
- 4 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil;
- 2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar;
- 1 garlic clove, minced;
- 2 tsp. Dijon mustard;
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper;
Preparation
- Preheat oven to 400 F.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the garlic powder, paprika, and salt and pepper to taste.
- Sprinkle the paprika mixture evenly over the chicken breast on both sides.
- Bake the chicken in the oven for 20 - 25 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and no longer pink.
- Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes, and slice it into thin strips.
- In a bowl, whisk all the ingredients for the dressing until well combined.
- Place all of the ingredients for the salad into a salad bowl.
- Drizzle the dressing on top, mix well, and serve.
📖 Recipe
Pear, Bacon, and Chicken Salad Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 chicken breast
- 5 cups mixed greens
- 4 bacon slices cooked and crumbled
- 1 pear sliced
- 4 tbsp. pine nuts toasted
- ½ tsp. garlic powder
- ½ tsp. paprika
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Balsamic Vinaigrette Ingredients
- 4 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
- 1 garlic clove minced
- 2 tsp. Dijon mustard
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 F.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the garlic powder, paprika, and salt and pepper to taste.½ tsp. garlic powder, ½ tsp. paprika, Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Sprinkle the paprika mixture evenly over the chicken breast on both sides.1 chicken breast
- Bake the chicken in the oven for 20 – 25 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and no longer pink.
- Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes, and slice it into thin strips.
- In a bowl, whisk all the ingredients for the dressing until well combined.4 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil, 2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar, 1 garlic clove, 2 tsp. Dijon mustard, Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Place all of the ingredients for the salad into a salad bowl.5 cups mixed greens, 4 bacon slices, 1 pear, 4 tbsp. pine nuts
- Drizzle the dressing on top, mix well, and serve.
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