Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Salad with Breaded Chicken, Peaches and Citrus Vinaigrette with Yogurt-Balsamic Dip

So, I haven't posted here in several months not because I'm through with cooking - but because I'm pregnant and had morning sickness so severe that there was no way I could even get near a kitchen, much less cook in one. My sweet husband fended for us for several months, and I had a triumphant return today, although I kept forgetting where things were kept and banging my head on our hanging pots - out of practice!

I made this delicious salad, which we've had before: It was originally called "Almond-Crusted Chicken and Nectarine Salad with Buttermilk-Chive Dressing" (available at http://www.finecooking.com/recipes/almond-crusted-chicken-nectarine-salad-buttermilk-chive-dressing.aspx) but I modified based on what I had on hand to the below. I also added a lighter citrus vinaigrette to replace the buttermilk-chive dressing, and made a yogurt dip instead for the chicken tenders.

Salad:
* 6 cups torn tender lettuce (I like butter lettuce)
* 2 small to medium ripe nectarines (I used peaches), halved, pitted, and sliced 1/4 inch thick
* Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Dressing:
* 1-1/2 cups fresh orange juice
* 1/4 cup olive oil
* 1 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Yogurt dip:
* About 1/4 cup regular plain or Greek style yogurt
* 1 Tbs. sour cream
* 1 Tbs. balsamic vinegar (original recipe says white but I prefer regular)
* 1/2 tsp. honey
* 2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
* 1 Tbs. thinly sliced fresh chives
* Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Chicken:
* 2 large eggs
* 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
* About 1 cup bread crumbs (original recipe says to use almonds but I find these harder to cook with)
* 1-1/2 lb. chicken breast or tenders, sliced thin into 2-inch pieces
* Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
* 2-3 Tbs. vegetable oil

*To make chicken:*

Lightly beat the eggs in a wide, shallow dish. Stir the bread crumbs and flour together in another dish. Season the chicken on all sides with 1 tsp. salt and 3/4 tsp. pepper. Dip one piece of chicken at a time in the eggs. Shake off the excess and dredge in the bread crumb mixture, pressing lightly to help it adhere. Set aside.

Heat 2 Tbs. of the oil in a large skillet over medium heat until shimmering hot. Working in batches, cook the chicken until light golden brown on both sides and just cooked through, about 3 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer the chicken to a paper-towel-lined plate when done. Between batches, remove any stray crumbs from the pan and add more oil if necessary.

*To make the citrus vinaigrette dressing:*

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and whisk.

*To make the yogurt dip:*

In a medium bowl or liquid measuring cup, combine the yogurt, sour cream, vinegar, and honey. Slowly whisk in the oil to blend. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

*To assemble the salad:*

In a large bowl, toss the lettuce and peaches with about half of the dressing. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Divide among 4 dinner plates. Divide the chicken among the plates, overlapping the pieces on top of the salad. Drizzle additional dressing over the chicken and serve with yogurt dip as a side for each plate (or you can put the dip on top of the salad at the very end before serving).

I find the yogurt dip really makes it, although it's too heavy as a dressing; it works great in complement with the citrus vinaigrette, since both have balsamic notes.