Peach Salad with Grilled Chicken and Poppy Seed Dressing

Mixed greens topped with sweet peaches, wild blackberries, fresh corn, red onions, toasted pecans, and goat cheese crumbles drizzled with homemade poppy seed dressing. It’s summer on a plate, Enjoy!

 Ingredients

CHICKEN

• 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts

MARINADE:

• 6 T. extra virgin olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp. dried thyme
• 1/2 tsp. dried oregano
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 tsp. lemon zest (from 1 lemon)

POPPY SEED DRESSING

• 1/3 c. mayonnaise
• 1/4 c. milk
• 2 T. granulated sugar
• 1 T. apple cider vinegar
• 1 T. poppy seeds

SALAD:

• 1 (10 oz.) cont. baby spring mixed greens
• 3 peaches or nectarines, sliced
• 1 c. fresh picked blackberries
• 2 ears fresh corn, husked, kernels cut from the cob
• 1/2 sm. red onion, thinly sliced
• 1/2 c. chopped pecans, toasted
• 1 (4 oz.) cont. goat cheese crumbles

 Directions

1. CHICKEN: Place chicken in a 1-gallon zipper bag, using a mallet pound the chicken to an even 1/2-inch thickness.
2. MARINADE: In a separate 1-gallon zipper bag, combine all marinade ingredients. Add the chicken breasts to the bag, seal the bag and massage the marinade into the meat until evenly coated. Place the bag in a bowl and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.
3. Preheat an outdoor grill to 425 degrees. Brush the grates with olive oil.
4. Place the chicken on the grill. Grill until cooked through, rotating once halfway through cooking, about 3-4 minutes per side. (Chicken is done when an instant thermometer inserted into the center of the chicken reads 160-165 degrees.) Transfer to a cutting board and let the chicken rest 10-15 minutes before slicing into strips or dicing into cubes.
5.  POPPY SEED DRESSING: In a small bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, milk, sugar, apple cider vinegar and poppy seeds; refrigerate until ready to use.
6. SALAD: In a large bowl, gently toss together mixed greens, peaches, blackberries, corn, onion, pecans, and grilled chicken. Transfer salad to a serving bowl or platter. Drizzle with poppy seed dressing and sprinkle with goat cheese crumbles. Serve immediately after adding dressing. Enjoy!

Print recipe here: Peach Salad with Grilled Chicken and Poppy Seed Dressing