Autumn Chicken Salad

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again..I LOVE an entree salad! This particular salad is easily one of my favorites, and I have been waiting (im)patiently for Fall to arrive to make it. OF COURSE, I could make it any time of the year, but it is just so quintessentially fall that I like to save it for the most wonderful time of the year.

This salad is loaded with all the best Fall flavors like dried cranberries, pepitas, beets, bacon, and sweet potatoes, to name a few! If you are an entree salad skeptic like Travis, I am willing to guarantee that you will feel absolutely stuffed and satisfied when you make it to the bottom of your bowl.

Ingredients:

Makes 4 entree salads

• 4 chicken breasts
• 4 small sweet potatoes, diced into small cubes
• Oil, salt, pepper, paprika, and garlic powder (for cooking the chicken & sweet potatoes)
• 4 steamed and peeled beets (prepacked from Trader Joe’s if you can!)
• 1/2 of a red onion, sliced thinly
• 4 slices bacon
• 1 cup dried cranberries, divided
• 1/2 cup pepitas (pumpkin seeds), divided
• 1 avocado, divided
• goat cheese (optional)
• 12 oz baby romaine lettuce, divided

For the Maple Dijon Balsamic Dressing Dressing: 

• 1/3 cup avocado oil (or olive oil)
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 1 Tbsp maple syrup
• 1/4 tsp each salt & pepper
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 4ooº. On a baking sheet, toss the cubed potatoes with oil, and season with salt, pepper, garlic, and paprika. Bake potatoes for 30 minutes, stirring halfway through.
2. Place the 4 slices of bacon on another baking sheet, and bake at 400º for 20 minutes. 
3. Prepare the chicken breasts by drizzling with oil, and season with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika. Heat a large skillet on medium and cook breasts for about 20 minutes, flipping about halfway through. 
4. While chicken, potatoes, and bacon are cooking, prepare the salad and other toppings. Divide the lettuce between 4 salad bowls (make sure they are large!) Slice the beets, avocado, and onion.
5. Prepare the dressing by combining all ingredients in a blender and give it a whirl!
6. Once everything is cooked and prepared, divide all toppings evenly among the salads.  (I almost forgot the cranberries on ours, so I will list them all again here!) → Roasted sweet potatoes, sliced beets, red onion, cranberries, pepitas, crumbled bacon, diced avocado, a few crumbles of goat cheese, and your chicken breasts! 
7. Drizzle a good helping of that yummy dressing and enjoy! 

I could eat a salad (especially this one) every day. However, I live with a guy that claims he’s “hungrier after eating than he was before” when eating a salad. So I am determined to create salads that are both filling and delicious so we can all be happy! This one definitely fits the bill!