Chicken Arugula Salad

Chicken arugula salad with sweet pears, toasted walnuts, dried cranberries, and creamy goat cheese, finished with a blender honey-Dijon pear dressing. An easy 30-minute main-dish salad that works for lunch, dinner, or the holiday table.

📝 Ingredients

• 1 large ripe pear (peeled, cored, and roughly chopped)
• 1 clove garlic (minced)
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 2 tablespoons lemon (or lime juice)
• 1 cup olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 2 large skinless boneless chicken breasts
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon paprika (smoked or sweet)
• 1 teaspoon oregano (or Italian seasoning)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 6 cups arugula
• 2 large pears (ripe but firm, thinly sliced (Anjou or Bosc or both))
• 1/4 cup walnuts ((toasted) or more)
• 1/4 cup dried cranberries (or more)
• 4 ounces goat cheese (crumbled)

👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. 1--- Make the Dressing ---
2. 2In a blender, combine the chopped pear, Dijon mustard, honey, vinegar, lemon juice, olive oil, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Blend until smooth and place into a serving bowl or squeeze bottle.
3. 3--- Cook the Chicken ---
4. 4Pat chicken breasts dry with paper towels. In a small bowl, combine salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, and oregano. Rub both sides of the chicken with the seasoning mix.
5. 5Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and sear for 3-4 minutes per side, or until golden and cooked through (internal temp of 165°F).
6. 6Transfer to a plate, rest for 5 minutes, then slice thinly. You can serve the chicken warm, at room temperature, or chilled.
7. 7--- Assemble the salad ---
8. 8Divide arugula among 4 plates or a large serving bowl.
9. 9Top with sliced pears, toasted walnuts, dried cranberries, and crumbled goat cheese.
10. 10Arrange chicken slices over the salad. Drizzle generously with the pear dressing just before serving.