Strawberry spinach salad with chicken

INGREDIENTS:

• 1/3 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 1/2 tablespoons honey
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 4-5 cups baby spinach
• 1 1/2 cups sliced strawberries
• 1 avocado, halved, seeded, peeled and sliced
• 2 small Persian cucumbers, sliced
• 1/2 cup sliced red onion (soaked in ice water for 10 minutes, then drained and patted dry)
• 3 cups sweet and spicy toasted pecan halves (recipe below)
• 1/2 cup crumbled goat cheese

For the Sweet and Spicy Candied Pecans

3 cups Pecan Halves
1/4 cup Brown Sugar
2 Tbsp Coconut Oil
2 Tbsp Unsalted Butter
1 tsp Ground Cinnamon
1 tsp Smoked Paprika
1/2 tsp Sea Salt Flakes
1/4 tsp Cayenne Pepper
1/4 cup Maple Syrup

Step 1
Line a cookie sheet with parchment and set aside.
Step 2
Over medium heat, melt the  Unsalted Butter and  Coconut Oil in a large skillet.
Step 3
Whisk in the  Brown Sugar until it melts. Then, whisk in the  Maple Syrup.
Step 4
Whisk in the  Ground Cinnamon,  Smoked Paprika,  Sea Salt Flakes, and Cayenne Pepper until incorporated and fragrant.
Step 5
Add in the  Pecan Halves, stirring constantly for 3-5 minutes, until the nuts are toasted.
Step 6
Transfer the nuts to the cookie sheet and spread in an even layer. Sprinkle with additional sea salt. Allow to cool fully before placing them in the salad.


DIRECTIONS:

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, milk, honey, vinegar, poppy seeds and Djion; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Place in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
2. Preheat grill to medium heat.
3. Brush chicken with canola oil; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Add chicken to grill, and cook, turning occasionally, until chicken is completely cooked through, reaching an internal temperature of 165 degrees F, about 10 minutes.
4. To assemble the salad, place spinach in a large bowl; top with chicken, strawberries, avocado, cucumbers, onion, some of the spiced pecans and goat cheese. Pour the poppy seed dressing on top of the salad and gently toss to combine.

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