Kitchen Little Essentials
For this recipe, you’ll need:
Small mixing bowl
Large nonstick frying pan/skillet
Mariposa, California :: March, 30 2018, 10:24 am
I woke up to the sounds of rain this morning, and little else. Just the rain and the various forms its falling takes. Drops hitting the roof in a steady, drip drip dripping that rendered my digital rain-simulating noise maker unnecessary; Utterly and beautifully useless. The rain hitting the pavement sang a softer, less pronounced song, and the drops that showered the fields and rugged meadows surrounding our little getaway house were silenced by the softened, soaked earth into which they fell. A perfect springtime harmony that, if you really, deeply listen, can show you the layers of a place. The tin roof, the rocky ground, the soft California dirt, saturated with a day of storms – they’re all instruments for the rain to play with. And so I lay, and I listen.
Lucas and I are on a weeklong trip to California right now, just the two of us, and our first day here has rendered us much more still and much less productive than we’d planned. We’re staying in a small gold-rush town just outside Yosemite National Park and the torrential downpours (or at least the predictions of them) have closed the valley for the day – no hiking for us.
Honestly though, for two overly busy workers/parents/homeowners/humans, the notion of a day where we have little more than nothing to do is maybe the sweetest thing imaginable. I almost don’t know what to do with it, to be honest with you. I’m lingering over the photo editing and writing for this recipe, taking more time to enjoy my coffee than usual. I didn’t even have to microwave it once today, imagine that. I’m going to finish a book that I started yesterday on the plane. It’s almost laughable, really. This freedom is delicious and not taken for granted for a second … it only comes around once in a blue moon (which the world fittingly experienced last week, so there you go).
I wouldn’t trade my “real life” – my day-to-day as a busy mom – for anything in the world. Not for all the quite rainfalls that the heavens care to share. But just once in that blue moon, I’ll gladly take the breaths, take the time, and take a longer, more intentional look around. It’s food for the soul.
This recipe is so wonderful – you guys just are going to love it, I think. These warm, toasty pecan-crusted chicken tenders are easy as pie and don’t need loads of spices or extra seasoning to nail. I’ve written my recipe to reflect that truth – no need for a laundry list of ingredients to create a bold, fresh, hugely satisfying main course salad. The pecans and flour get so insanely delicious together as they cook, and they really create something that tastes greater than the sum of its parts. These tenders also are great on fresh biscuits or waffles in the morning with a drizzle of spicy honey or a maple-mustard sauce.
If you make this, be sure to let me know what you think. Simple, yet wholly satisfying weeknight main courses are a thing of beauty, and this chicken salad is currently the belle of our ball. Happy cooking!
*This post/recipe is a refresh from Spring 2018
Pecan Crusted Chicken Salad with Green Goddess Dressing
Warm, pecan-crusted chicken tenders crown this loaded springtime salad. The bright and fresh “spring goddess” dressing easily holds its own in this seasonal cast of characters as well, and also serves as a great dunker for crudites, fresh bread, and roasted veggies.
- Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients
3 cups new or baby red potatoes
1 cup pecans
2 TBSP all-purpose flour
2 eggs
8 boneless skinless chicken tenderloins
½ cup canola oil, plus extra for cooking the chicken
5 cups mixed greens
½ cup crumbled goat cheese
2/3 cup blueberries
½ cup chives
½ cup parsley
½ garlic clove
2 tsp Dijon Mustard
2 TBSP white wine vinegar
Instructions
1. Add the potatoes to a large pot and fill with water to cover. Bring to a boil and cook for 12 – 15 minutes, or until fork-tender. Drain and set aside to cool (tip: I like to halve and toss the potatoes with a little of the dressing before adding them to the salad. They soak up the flavor while they’re warm).
2. Meanwhile, in a blender, combine the chives, parsley, ½ cup oil, ½ clove of garlic, the Dijon, and the vinegar. Blend until everything is chopped and well mixed.
3. To make the chicken: In a food processor, pulse the pecans with the flour until the nuts are finely chopped. Season with about 1 tsp of both salt and pepper. Transfer the mixture to a medium bowl.
4. In a small bowl, whisk the eggs and 2 TBSP of water together. Season lightly with salt. Dip each chicken breast into the egg mixture and then into the nut mixture, pressing to ensure the coating adheres and fully covers the chicken.
5. In a large nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat, add enough oil to fully cover the bottom. Add the chicken to the pan, in batches, and cook for 4 to 5 minutes. Turn and continue cooking until the tenders are golden brown and cooked through, about 4 to 5 minutes more.
6. To build the salad, add the greens to a large bowl or platter. Top with the warm potatoes, crumbled goat cheese, blueberries, and chicken. Serve with the dressing on the side.
Notes
NOTES: Recommended but not required add-ons: avocados and cherry or grape tomatoes.
Keywords: Pecan Crusted Chicken Salad with Green Goddess Dressing
