Loaded Strawberry Fields Salad
Try this Loaded Strawberry Fields Salad recipe, or contribute your own.
Try this Loaded Strawberry Fields Salad recipe, or contribute your own.
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 4 strips bacon
- garlic salt and pepper
- 1 cup whole pecan halves
- 2 chicken breasts (14-16oz ) pounded to an even thickness
- 9 - 10 oz mixed greens
- 1 lb strawberries trimmed then sliced
- 1/2 small red onion thinly sliced
- 4 oz bleu cheese (could use feta or chevre ) crumbled
- Carbohydrate 16.3843391308726 g
- Cholesterol 26.6657812532703 mg
- Fat 15.8613645912337 g
- Fiber 2.65093059029783 g
- Protein 4.38480628226974 g
- Saturated Fat 6.03700846465633 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (220g)
- Sodium 258.325855933852 mg
- Sugar 13.7334085405748 g
- Trans Fat 1.72362790306136 g
- Calories 219 calories
Step-by-step
- Line a baking sheet with foil then place a cooling rack on top and spray with nonstick spray. Lay bacon strips on top then place baking sheet in a cold oven and set oven to preheat to 400 degrees. Cook until bacon is crisped, which could take anywhere from 5-10 minutes after the oven is done preheating. Crumble when cool then set aside.
- Turn oven down to 350 degrees. Melt butter and honey in a bowl then add pecans and toss to coat. Spread out on a silpat or parchment paper-lined baking sheet then bake for 5-6 minutes, or until golden brown and fragrant (watch carefully so they don’t burn.) Sprinkle lightly with salt then set aside and let cool completely.
- Mist chicken breasts with extra virgin olive oil or nonstick spray then season on both sides with garlic salt and pepper. Grill or saute over medium-high heat for 3-4 minutes a side then let rest for 5 minutes before choppng into hunks.
- Divide greens between four plates then top each with a quarter of the bacon, honey-roasted pecans, chicken, strawberries, red onion, and bleu cheese. Drizzle on your favorite dressing (I recommend a raspberry or balsamic vinaigrette, or strawberry balsamic vinegar if you have it!) then serve.
Swapping bleu cheese for aged goat cheese alters the protein structure and moisture level of the final bowl, introducing a sharper tang that cuts through dense fat. Raw ingredients dictate the structural integrity of green salads, where unwashed greens hold excess moisture that dilutes vinaigrette adherence. Placing bacon strips in a cold oven and preheating to 400 degrees Fahrenheit allows the fat to render slowly before the protein scorches, yielding a uniform crunch rather than chewy edges. Pecans coated in honey burn rapidly due to high sugar content; baking them at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for precisely 5 to 6 minutes prevents acrid bitterness while caramelizing the outer layer. Pounding chicken breasts to an even 1-inch thickness guarantees simultaneous cooking across the entire cut when seared over medium-high heat for 3 to 4 minutes per side. Resting cooked poultry for 5 minutes redistributes internal juices back toward the outer muscle fibers, preventing moisture loss onto the greens. Modern combinations of fruit, cured meats, and cheese emerged from mid-century American restaurant menus designed to maximize textural contrast within a single plate. Slicing red onions thinly and keeping strawberries uncompromised until assembly prevents premature cellular breakdown and pooling liquid.
