Grilled Chicken & Blueberry Salad With Wild Orange Dressing

This time of year pleads for fresh, light and flavorful meals!  Blueberries are popping up sweet and plump in the groceries.  There isn’t a salad I like better than one with vibrant fresh fruit mixed in and these ropy-poly blueberries are the perfect addition.  In just 18 days I will be attending the Food Wine Conference in Orlando – you have no idea how excited I am!  Wish Farms is one of our sponsors and they are running the coolest contest for attendees!  They are a third generation family owned and operated produce company who I look forward to meeting at the conference.

The are holding “A Blueberry Toss” contest and 3 – count ’em – 3 entrants will win prizes.  They are serious about theses prizes too.  Gift Cards, flats of blueberries (my fav prize), reimbursement for a conference pass, as well as the winning recipes featured on their web site.  Oooohhhhh…my fingers are crossed!

At the conference I plan on being wined and dined with amazing food and delightful wines.  I’ve been to a few food conferences but never one with wine too!  If you know me you know I love my wine.  The setting is at the gorgeous Rosen Shingle Creek hotel and I’m pretty sure I won’t need to leave the property.  Besides all the fabulous foods and wine I know I’ll be rubbing elbows with some exceptional bloggers and brands.  There will be a variety of sessions, working with the hospitality industry, business etiquette, video workshops, grilling skill demos and the opportunity to meet farmers and producers of food and wine.  I cannot wait!

But first, I want to share my recipe for Grilled Chicken and Blueberry Salad with Wild Orange Dressing.  SO easy, healthy, delicious, colorful – you ‘re gonna love it!

Let’s talk a bit about blueberries before you make this salad.  Blueberries are packed with Vitamin C, 25% of our daily requirement and one cup is only 80 calories.  Woot! They are also full of fiber and an excellent source of Manganese.  Besides these chubby little berries this salad has fresh oranges and walnuts.  Walnuts are chock full of Vitamin B-6, Manganese and Folic Acid, or Vitamin B-9.  Oranges are a good source of several vitamins and minerals such as, Vitamin C, Thiamin, Folate and Potassium.  I’m going to step out on a limb and say this salad is good for you!  And hey – if you are vegetarian leave off the chicken!

Wish me luck  – I’m going to go start my packing list for the Food Wine Conference and eat one of these yummy salads!

Grilled Chicken & Blueberry Salad With Wild Orange Dressing

Author:

Linda Walbridge

Ingredients

• SALAD

• 1 cup blueberries, washed

• 2 fresh oranges, peeled and sliced or in segments

• 1/2 cup toasted walnuts

• gorgonzola crumbles

• Romain lettuce

• Arugula

• CHICKEN

• 2 organic chicken breasts

• 1/4 teaspoon dehydrated orange peel

• 1/4 teaspoon dehydrated lemon peel

• 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes

• 2 tablespoons brown sugar

• pinch ginger

• pinch ground nutmeg

• pinch

• ground cloves

• pinch of dried lime leaves or a squeeze of juice of 1/2 lime

• DRESSING

• 1 cup extra virgin olive oil

• 1 teaspoon organic dijon mustard

• 1/3 cup white balsamic vinegar

• 1-2 drops Wild Orange Essential Oil

• 2 Tablespoons mayonnaise

• 1/4 cup brown sugar

• 2 tablespoons Orange Blossom Honey

• Sea Salt and Pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Mix all spices and rub on chicken breasts.

2. Grill chicken until cooked but still moist.

3. Place washed lettuce on plates.

4. Slice chicken diagonally and place on top of greens.

5. Top with blueberries, oranges, gorgonzola, and walnuts.

6. Mix all dressing ingredients together except for olive oil.

7. Drizzle oil slowly into dressing mix and whisk until well blended.

8. Drizzle over salad.

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