Grilled Chicken Salad w/ Tropical Fruits

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Registered: 06-29-2005
Grilled Chicken Salad w/ Tropical Fruits
Tue, 05-27-2008 - 3:17pm

For all you meat eaters out there- I made this for lunch for my girlfriends and it was a huge hit:










Marinated and Grilled Chicken Salad with Tropical Fruits, Marcona Almonds, Baby Lettuces and Lemon-Ginger Vinaigrette



Recipe courtesy Emeril Lagasse, 2007

Show: 
Emeril Live

Episode: 
Emeril's Spa Cuisine



Marinated and Grilled Chicken Salad with Tropical Fruits, Marcona Almonds, Baby Lettuces and Lemon-Ginger Vinaigrette







1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 4-ounce portions
2 tablespoons lime juice
4 tablespoons freshly chopped cilantro leaves
4 cloves finely chopped garlic
2 teaspoons sugar
4 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
2 teaspoons ground Szechuan pepper or crushed red pepper
2 tablespoons freshly chopped mint leaves
8 large butter lettuce leaves
6 ounces diced mango
6 ounces diced papaya
6 ounces diced pineapple (I replaced with diced grapefruit)
20 toasted, lightly salted marcona almonds
1 recipe Lemon-Ginger Vinaigrette, recipe follows

Combine the chicken, lime juice, cilantro, garlic, sugar, soy sauce, pepper and mint in a plastic, re-sealable food storage bag and seal. Shake to combine, then transfer chicken to the refrigerator and allow to marinate for 24 hours. Remove the chicken from the refrigerator and discard marinade. Allow chicken to come to room temperature for 20 minutes.

Preheat a grill to high.

When the grill is hot, grill the chicken breasts, turning to mark on both sides, until an internal temperature of 165 degrees F, about 8 to 10 minutes, depending on your grill. Remove from the grill and allow to rest briefly before carving each portion into thin slices.

When ready to serve, place 2 lettuce leaves on each of 4 plates, and fan the chicken slices on top of the lettuce leaves. Garnish each plate with 1 1/2 ounces of the mango, 1 1/2 ounces of the papaya, 1 1/2 ounces of the pineapple and 5 marcona almonds. Drizzle 2 tablespoons of the Lemon-Ginger Vinaigrette over each salad and serve immediately.

Lemon-Ginger Vinaigrette
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/3 cup unseasoned rice wine vinegar
1/3 cup orange juice (Replace with orange crystal light)
1/3 cup champagne vinegar
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 1/2 tablespoons honey (I used Agave nectar, or use Splenda)
1 tablespoon fish sauce
4 tablespoons fresh ginger root, grated and finely chopped
2 tablespoons chopped shallots
2 tablespoons chopped green onion
1 tablespoon freshly chopped cilantro leaves
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1 tablespoon sesame oil
7 ounces canola oil
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 tablespoons sesame seeds

Combine all ingredients in a nonreactive container with a tight fitting lid, cover, and shake to combine. Serve immediately or refrigerate for up to 2 days before serving.

Yield: about 3 cups

sun.jpg picture by dheimbecker

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