Chicken, Apple, and Smoked Gouda Salad
Ingredients
- 2 Gala apples, thinly sliced (about 1 lb.)
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 (6-oz.) package baby spinach
- 1 (6-oz.) package spring greens mix
- 3 cups chopped, cooked chicken
- 1/4 of a small red onion, sliced thin
- 1 1/2 cups (6 oz.) shredded smoked Gouda cheese
- 1 1/2 cups thinly sliced celery
- 1 1/2 cups sweetened dried cranberries
- 1 1/2 cups salted cashews or pecans
- Honey-Mustard Dressing:
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/3 cup cider vinegar
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper (optional)
- 1 teaspoon coarse ground pepper
- dash coarse sea salt
Directions
For Salad:
Toss apple slices with lemon juice.
Layer salad greens, apples, chicken, and next 5 ingredients in a large glass bowl. Serve immediately, or cover and chill up to 8 hours.
For Dressing:
Whisk together all dressing ingredients, or use immersion blender, and blend until combined.
Toss salad with 1/4 cup Honey-Mustard Dressing just before serving. Or, layer salads on individual plates and drizzle with dressing.
Notes
-One small Rotisserie chicken may be subbed for the 3 cups cooked chicken.
-I prefer to plate the salad individually, and dress each salad.
-The original dressing recipe calls for 1 cup of mayo. Waaay too much mayo for my taste. I cut the mayo and added some olive oil and vinegar. Still a creamy dressing, just not as rich.
-Sheri used pears instead of apples. Perfect for pear season