SPICED CHICKEN AND ORANGE SALAD
You can't tell, but I'm licking my monitor right now.
This is GREAT summer food. Also, it's rather good for you and great for people on restricted diets or diabetics. I'm particularly proud of the dressing, it's sweet and tangy, with just a touch of heat. The meat here is variable. Chicken is good, pork is also great, and I'll bet you could get away with salmon, as well. shrimp would be excellent, too.
Ingredients:
boneless skinless chicken tenders (or breasts cut into strips. cut the breasts in half, and slice them height-wise, with the grain of the meat), about 1 lb.
about 3 large oranges, completely de-seeded and with all of the white cut off, cut into sections.
fresh baby spinach leaves, rinsed
1 tblsp minced garlic
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon oregano
2.5 tblsp olive oil
2 tblsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp dijon mustard
1/4 cup orange juice
optional: sliced almonds
Put the spinach and orange slices in a bowl. Heat 1 tblsp of the olive oil in a pan on medium-high heat. Add the chicken, oregano, garlic, and chili powder, and a bit of black pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until the chicken is fully cooked. About 5-7 minutes. Cut it open to test.
After the chicken is done, pull it from the pan and set it aside. Mix the remaining olive oil with the orange juice and pour them into the pan, breaking up those little tasty bits on the bottom. Cook for a few minutes, maybe 3, to reduce the dressing a bit, then pour it into a container and add in the vinegar and mustard. Mix well. Slice the chicken along the grain of the meat into thin strips. 1/4 of an inch thick at the most, you want them big enough to get some bite, but small enough that you'd be able to eat one and get some of the rest of the salad as well.
To serve, put the combination of spinach and oranges on a plate, top with a heaping pile of the chicken, and drizzle the orange vinaigrette over the top of the whole thing.
Optional: Take out a frying pan, and heat it on high heat. Put nothing in it to lubricate, and toss in a big handfull of sliced almonds. Shake the pan around real well and mix up the almonds, cooking for about 2-3 minutes until they start to brown. Pour them over the top of the salad as garnish.