Chicken, Cranberry, and Pear Spinach Salad

As the weather gets hotter, salads start to look more and more appealing to me. Quick preparation, fresh ingredients, and no need to slave over a hot stove or put something in the oven, which essentially makes your home an oven as well.

I am a sucker for spinach salads with fruit and this recipe includes two of my favorites, pears and cranberries. I prefer to make my salad sans chicken, but if you’re looking to add some extra protein feel free to add it in. Enjoy!

Ingredients

For 1 serving

APPLE CIDER VINAIGRETTE

3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon honey
½ teaspoon dijon mustard
¼ teaspoon salt
1 pinch ground black pepper

SALAD

1 boneless, skinless chicken breast, sliced into 1/2-inch (1 cm) pieces
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
¼ teaspoon paprika
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pear, sliced
2 cups baby spinach
1 tablespoon dried cranberry
2 tablespoons toasted unsalted walnut, chopped

Preparation

Add the olive oil, apple cider vinegar, honey, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper together in a small bowl. Set aside.
On a cutting board, season the chicken with salt, pepper, and paprika.
Heat olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Once the oil begins to shimmer, add the chicken and cook until browned on all sides, about 4 minutes.
In a large bowl, add the sliced pear, spinach, cranberries, walnuts, and cooked chicken, and dress with the vinaigrette.
Enjoy!