Grilled Caprese Chicken Salad

Name: Grilled Caprese Chicken Salad
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 35 min
Ingredients: 8 oz asparagus, tough ends trimmed/snapped; 6 oz mozzarella pearls; 4-6 strips bacon, cooked and crumbled; 1 pint grape/cherry tomatoes, halved; 1-2 avocados, chopped or sliced; 1 5 oz. pkg. baby spinach; 1 pound chicken breasts pounded to even thickness; 1 cup basil leaves, roughly chopped or chiffonade; salt and pepper to taste; 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar; 2 teaspoons brown sugar; 1 tablespoons Dijon mustard; 2 tablespoons olive oil; 1 tablespoon lemon juice; 1 tsp each dried basil, garlic pwdr, onion pwdr,; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1/4 teaspoon pepper; 3/4 cup quality balsamic vinegar; 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard; 2 tablespoons mayonnaise; 1 tablespoon lemon juice; 2 tablespoons milk

Dinner

Grilled Caprese Chicken Salad

Recipe by JanC

Servings

6-8

servings

Prep time

minutes

Cooking time

minutes

Ingredients

Salad
8 oz asparagus, tough ends trimmed/snapped
6 oz mozzarella pearls
4-6 strips bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 pint grape/cherry tomatoes, halved
1-2 avocados, chopped or sliced
1 5 oz. pkg. baby spinach
1 pound chicken breasts pounded to even thickness
1 cup basil leaves, roughly chopped or chiffonade
salt and pepper to taste
Balsamic Chicken Marinade
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons brown sugar
1 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tsp each dried basil, garlic pwdr, onion pwdr,
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Balamic Reduction Dressing
3/4 cup quality balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons milk

Directions

In a medium bowl, whisk together all of the Balsamic Marinade ingredients. Remove 1 tablespoon and add to a large bowl along with tomatoes and asparagus. Toss evenly to coat. Refrigerate.
Add remaining marinade to a large Ziploc bag along with chicken. Marinate 30 minutes, up to 4 hours.
When ready to grill, let chicken sit at room temperature for 15-30 minutes. Meanwhile, grease and preheat the grill to medium heat, 375-450°F. Grill chicken undisturbed for 5-7 minutes per side, or until chicken is cooked through. Remove chicken from grill and let rest 5 minutes before slicing.
Grease grill and turn to high heat. Grill asparagus for 2 minutes per side or to desired tenderness. Let cool then cut on diagonal into 1-2-inch pieces.
To make the Balsamic Reduction Dressing, bring balsamic vinegar to a boil in a small saucepan, then reduce the heat to a simmer, stirring often. Cook until reduced in volume by half, about 8 minutes and just thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Whisk in remaining dressing ingredients, adding additional milk a teaspoon at a time if desired for a thinner dressing.
Toss spinach, basil, asparagus, tomatoes and mozzarella in a large bowl. Top with chicken, bacon, and avocado. Drizzle individual servings with Balsamic Reduction Dressing.