Autumn Cobb Salad

I often serve a lot of entree salads during the Summer months. But as the Summer heat tends to extend well into Fall around here, I like to keep a few seasonally inspired salad recipes in my arsenal.

Throughout the Fall, I often reach for apples and pears... pumpkin and squash... cranberries and pecans... to integrate into my recipes. For this particular salad, I took some inspiration from the season, as well as some classic flavors of a Cobb Salad.

I love a good Cobb Salad. So it only seemed natural to riff on it a bit and give it a little Autumn flare. I tossed together roasted chicken, crispy bacon, avocado and blue cheese with bright butternut squash, crisp apples, tart cranberries and crunchy pecans. Everything gets tossed together with a homemade maple-mustard vinaigrette, and that's called dinner!

Autumn Cobb Salad

Ingredients

For the chicken

· 2 chicken breasts

· 1 tbsp Dijon mustard

· 1 tbsp grainy mustard

· 1 tbsp maple syrup

· ½ tsp salt

· ½ tsp pepper

For the butternut squash

· 3 cups butternut squash, diced

· 2 tbsp olive oil

· Salt and pepper

For the dressing

· 2 tbsp Dijon mustard

· 2 tbsp grainy mustard

· 2 tbsp maple syrup

· 2 tbsp cider vinegar

· 2 tbsp olive oil

· ¼ tsp salt

· ¼ tsp pepper

For the salad

· 4oz baby kale or spinach

· 4oz spring mix

· 1 gala apple, diced

· 2 avocados, diced

· ¼ red onion, sliced thin

· 4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled

· 4oz blue cheese crumbles

· ¼ cup dried cranberries

· ¼ cup pecans, chopped

For the chicken… Place the chicken breasts flat in a large gallon-sized plastic bag. Remove the air from the bag and seal closed. Using a meat mallet, pound the chicken to a uniform thickness. In a small bowl, whisk together the mustards, maple syrup, salt and pepper. Pour over the chicken and reseal the bag. Chill for at least 30 minutes or overnight.

Preheat oven to 425F.

For the butternut squash… spread the squash evenly over a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. Toss the squash in the olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast in the oven for about 40 minutes or until the squash is easily pierced with a fork. Allow to cool to room temperature.

Place the marinated chicken breasts on a baking sheet lined with foil and greased with non-stick spray. Roast for about 22-25 minutes until the chicken is cooked through. Set aside and allow to rest. Tent the chicken with aluminum foil if you prefer to serve it warm on top of the salad, otherwise, allow it to cool to room temperature.

For the dressing… combine all ingredients in a small bowl or measuring cup. Whisk thoroughly.

For the salad… combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Sprinkle over the roasted butternut squash. Dice the cooked chicken and add it to the salad bowl. Pour over the dressing and toss the salad until evenly coated.

Serves 4

Gluten Free Friendly!